


Desert Rose

by LEYTON_NALEY



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Best Friends, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, Jealousy, Possessive Behavior, Shameless Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-16 03:13:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 60,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5811517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LEYTON_NALEY/pseuds/LEYTON_NALEY
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen are best friends who make one drunken mistake. Only, they weren't so drunk, and the mistake keeps happening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I got a few requests to re-post this story onto this site, so here it is. Updates will come fast since this is already a completed story. Hope you like it!

It wasn't supposed to mean anything. The invitation was just an out of the blue decision he made while shuffling some papers around on his desk. They had been working at the office since the early hours of the morning, when he realized they had never hung out outside of work before. So, when he was on his way out of his office, he stopped mid-walk to address her.

"Hey, Felicity," he started, watching as her head snapped up from her computer screen. "Want to grab a drink? I'll buy."

"Do you even have to ask?" she replied, immediately switching off her computer.

He waited quietly for her to get her things together, smiling politely when she met him by the elevator. They got down to the parking lot, noticing that their cars were parked near each other.

"So, where are we going?" she asked, waiting for him to tell her the name of the bar.

"I was thinking that we could try out Verdant," he suggested. "I've never been, and I'm curious to see if it has potential."

She nodded, knowing exactly which bar he was talking about. It was near her house, and she usually drove past it on her way to work. They took off in their cars, reaching Verdant at nearly the same time. They parked next to each other - deliberately this time - and he paused by the door until she had scurried to his side.

Verdant was no bigger than the average sports bar. Inside were pool tables, dart boards, and arcade games towards the back. There was a counter signifying the bar, with leather stools lining it. Flat screen televisions hung in every corner of the room, a different game on each one. Tables littered the space, covered in half-spilled beer and surrounded by chatting people.

A pair of drunken older men pushed past them on their way out of the bar. They lingered slightly by Felicity, obviously checking her out. Oliver felt Felicity scoot closer to him, and he reached forward to slide her over to his other side, blocking her from their sight. He set the men with a stern smile, sending them back on their way outside. She smiled gratefully up at him. Oliver glanced down at her quickly before searching the bar. Along the right side of the bar were two empty stools. Taking her arm, he lead her over to them. They sat down, thrilled that they had found a spot so easily. The bartender approached them, taking their orders.

Three pints of beer later, they were a laughing mess. She didn't even know what they were talking about anymore. He wasn't so sure either. Despite that, she couldn't settle her laughter. Grinning, he watched as she covered her face. His expression straightened out of nowhere, sending waves of worry through her instantly. His head tilted to the side, eyebrows furrowing.

"What is it?" she questioned, her laughter coming to a halt.

His eyes had a far away look to them. "Do you want to dance?"

She scoffed, realizing he was being serious. "Oliver, I can barely hear the music. Plus, no one else is dancing," she pointed out.

He glanced around, shrugging his shoulders. "So? _I_ can hear the music. All you have to do is follow my lead."

"Why do you want to dance so bad?"

"Why don't you want to dance so bad?" he countered.

She didn't have a comeback, and he smiled triumphantly. He stood up, taking her hand as she hopped off the stool. Surprisingly, she didn't protest as he led her into the back of the restaurant where the speakers softly slurred the music. The lighting was horrible, but most people were too drunk to notice them anyways. His hand gripped hers tightly, supporting her in case she fell over. The last time he had seen her drink had been at some company function. Sure, it had been wine at the time, but that didn't mean beer couldn't have the same affect on her.

"Are you a music person, Felicity?" he asked, zoning everyone who wasn't her out.

"Of course," she responded, trying to steady her wobbly legs. "I like records."

He nodded his head out of respect, the ends up his lips curling upwards. "I have a record player at my house. Not many people appreciate vinyl anymore."

"Most of the music I like is easy to find a record for."

His head jut out in the direction of the black speakers. "What about this? Do you like this kind of music?"

She stared at the speaker, straining to hear the music over the sounds of people shouting and the clatter of pool balls knocking into each other. When she could make out the song a little more, she smiled slowly. The beat was soft, the voice even softer. The lyrics spoke of people in love, though they knew they could only remain friends.

"Yeah, it's beautiful."

"I like it, too."

They smiled at each other, her stepping closer to him so that she was now out of his line of vision. The more time they spent swaying to the song, the clearer the music became to her. She could actually understand some of the lyrics, and it only made her more sure of her opinion towards the song. Two minutes later, the song ended, followed by some obnoxious rap one. Oliver let her go instantly, wanting to get away from those speakers as soon as possible.

She smiled because that had been her same reaction as well. Back in their stools, they began a discussion about music. It turned out, their tastes were pretty much identical. He was familiar with a lot of the bands she was, and vice versa. They disagreed on some things, but respected each other's music choices overall. The atmosphere was great, and he wanted to know if she felt the same way.

"So, what do you think of the bar? I was nervous about trying something new out."

"I like it," she decided, smiling at him. "You did good, Queen."

That was exactly the response he wanted.

Time slipped away from them until the alcohol had completely worn off. He couldn't remember a time where his sides had hurt from laughing too much. People had started clearing from the bar, the noise dying down as well. The music became more audible, though the songs weren't that great. At some point - and neither of them knew when that point was - they had moved so close to each other that their faces were only inches apart.

His eyes kept falling to her lips, thoughts of kissing her becoming more persistent. Once, he had to actually close his eyes to stop himself from going through with it. He tried justifying it with the alcohol, but he knew it had worn off already, and he hadn't even had a lot to begin with. Her hand fell onto his arm, and that was it.

She seemed to have sensed what he was going to do by the look in his eyes, because she straightened visibly. However, her head stayed right where it was, not refraining from his touch. She wasn't saying no. Slowly, so that she had time to back away if necessary, he inched his face towards her. A loud ringing drew him back, startling him away from her to the point where he knew his opportunity had been missed.

He pulled out his phone, checking the caller ID. It was Laurel. Cursing under his breath, he swiped the green button on his phone screen.

"Hello?" he grit out, hearing a slight exhale of breath from Felicity.

"Ollie?" came the response from the other end.

"Laurel, what is it?"

He hadn't meant to sound as harsh as he did. He was just frustrated. And maybe a little relieved. He couldn't imagine what he would have done had they kissed. It would definitely cause questions to rise about their friendship, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"I got into a fight with my dad. I just don't want to be alone right now. Can you come over please?"

She sounded as if she'd been crying. Or maybe she still was. It was a little hard to focus when what had almost just happened replayed in his mind, along with the alternative of if his phone had never rung.

"Laurel, I'm kind of busy right now," he murmured, turning to the opposite side of Felicity so that she wouldn't hear.

"Please, Ollie," she urged, and he heard the tears this time.

Closing his eyes, he nodded his head. "Yeah, fine. I'll be right there."

"Thank you."

He hung up without a goodbye, turning to Felicity with regret in his eyes. He saw that she already had her things together, and his frustration with Laurel only lengthened.

"I'm sorry. That was Laurel and... I have to go," he told her, watching as she stood up.

"It's fine, Oliver. It was about time I head out anyway. Thank you for tonight. I really do like it here. Good choice."

He exhaled, letting a smile shadow across his features. His eyes followed her out of the bar, him slamming a heavy fist onto the counter once she had gone. The bartender glanced his way but said nothing. Oliver paid his tab, standing up and heading for the doors. With one glance back, he looked at the stools where his missed opportunity had occurred.

"Probably for the best," he grumbled, stalking off towards his car and beginning the drive over to Laurel's house.

That night wasn't supposed to mean anything, so why did it?


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind that two years have passed since the prologue! :)

If someone had told Oliver how his day would end, he would never believe them. His night had started off normal. The bar was packed, and Oliver was awaiting the girl he called his best friend for drinks.

Felicity Smoak.

They had grown so much in the three years since they'd met. Their friendship was one to be jealous of. Hell, people told him all the time how jealous they were of it. How often were two extremely attractive people of the opposite gender able to hang out nearly everyday and keep their relationship strictly platonic?

Oliver glanced behind him, catching sight of her just as she was walking in. Her eyes met his, a smile instantly appearing on her face. Pushing through the crowd, she finally reached his side, setting her purse onto the counter heavily. As she took a seat on the old stool next to him - her regular spot- he couldn't help but chuckle.

"You look like you could use a drink," he observed, taking in her slightly messy hair and flush of frustration.

"If only you knew," she grumbled, reaching for his half finished beer.

She downed it, setting it down onto the counter with a loud thud. He stared at her with an amused smile, signaling for the bar tender to bring them two more. Felicity set her head on her hand that was being propped up by her elbow. She groaned loudly, covering her eyes with her other hand.

"That bad, huh?" he asked, accepting his beer and placing Felicity's in front of her. "Want to talk about it?"

"Just give me a while to feel less mortified." She shuddered, covering her face again. "It might take a few drinks."

"Take all the time you need," he chuckled, facing forward. "Guess who came by my office today after you left."

"Who?" she questioned, appreciating his transition in conversation.

"Laurel."

"Ew."

"Yeah," he agreed, taking a sip. "She said she wanted to give us another shot."

"We've all heard that one before." Her eyes scanned over him briefly. "What did you say?"

"I told her I wasn't interested. Then she tried to kiss me."

"Nice," she remarked. "It's always fascinating when girls go for the seducing trick."

"Yeah, well I didn't give her the chance to let it work. I asked her to leave."

"She'll be back in a few weeks," Felicity shrugged. "What is it about you that makes all the girls come crawling back?"

"Care to find out?" he taunted, earning a smack to his shoulder. "I really don't know. I'd like to blame it on my money, but the women I encounter are always well endowed."

"So getting with me would be slumming it?" she asked, grinning so he'd know she was only joking.

"You're far from poor, Felicity," he reminded her. "I've spent plenty of nights crashed out on your couch to know that."

"Well if my bank account is being compared to yours, I might as well be on the streets."

"Like I'd ever let that happen."

They smiled at each other, warmed by the comfort of their friendship. It was always easy like this for them. Ever since he took over his father's company and had to spend a lot of his time down in the IT Department with her, their closeness and light banter had come naturally. Eventually, he promoted her to be his assistant due to all of the hard work she put into the company, and their relationship only grew from there. It was a month after her promotion that they went out for drinks for the first time. It was at some small bar Oliver had passed several times on his way to work. The bar was named Verdant, and it quickly became their usual spot.

Felicity was there for him through all of his problems with Laurel, as he was there for her relationships with the jerks she somehow couldn't seem to shake. Once he broke up with Laurel for what they both decided was the last time -which apparently she was having serious doubts about - there was plenty of speculation about him dating Felicity. The tabloids had had a field day with them that lasted almost a month. Once they realized there was nothing going on between them, the articles stopped printing and the pictures stopped being taken. Even through all of the constant stalking from the paparazzi during that expanse of time, Felicity refused to stop going out in public with him, and they continued doing what they always did.

Secretly, he liked her even more for that.

Felicity and him never crossed that line that would put them at more than friends. Not that the thought hadn't crossed both of their minds. They'd gotten drunk enough times together for there to be almost kisses and such. Maybe even one time where they weren't so drunk; the what-ifs of that night still haunted him. But nonetheless, it never happened. They always stopped before it got there and managed to forget about it before it made things awkward.

"Do you remember Cooper?" she asked, starting on her second beer.

"How could I forget? That guy was an ass." Oliver glanced wearily at her. "Why?"

"I ran into him about a week ago," she began, seeing the instant betrayal in his eyes for her not telling him. "I didn't think it would be a big deal. He was in the same coffee shop I always go to, and all he did was say hi."

"Then why am I getting the feeling that there's more to this story?"

"Well, last night he called me and invited me out for dinner. I agreed, but only because he said he had something to give me," she explained. "We met at this Italian restaurant in the Glades. He had a wrapped gift next to him the whole time, but refused to give it to me until dinner was over. So, we talked, drank, caught up basically. I was so intoxicated, I forgot all about the present."

"Please don't tell me you slept with him," Oliver said, shaking his head.

"No," she answered, rolling her eyes. "But not for lack of trying."

"Felicity!" he scolded.

"What?" she asked, splaying her hands out in front of her to feign innocence. "I'm horny. But that's beside the point."

"What exactly is the point here?"

"I ended up waking really late today. When I was heading out for my daily coffee, I saw the gift still neatly wrapped on my kitchen table. Now, it's what was underneath the paper that has put me in such a bad mood."

"Let me guess," he started, leaning towards her. "Your sex tape?"

"You are disgusting," she plainly remarked, shaking her head as she took a sip of her beer. "I wish it was that. It would be a hell of a lot better than what was actually underneath the paper."

"What was it?" he pressed, genuinely intrigued.

"It was a book-"

"Oh, that's not bad-"

"Called '50 Ways to Improve Your Sex Life'," she finished, watching him grimace. "And it came with a note that pretty much told me I needed to read this book and that he was doing my future boyfriends a huge favor."

"Jackass," Oliver muttered, placing a hand on her back. "See? If you had told me about running into him before, I would have talked you out of seeing him again."

"It's fine. This beer is really helping me get over it all."

"What did you do with the book?"

"You interested in stepping up your game?" she teased, giggling at his straight face.

"Ha ha," he said, swigging his beer. "I'm just curious as to if you kept it or not."

"It's sitting on my table as we speak."

"Are you going to keep it?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "If he went through the actual trouble of buying me this book and taking me out to dinner to make sure I got it, maybe I really should give it a chance."

"You can't possibly be that bad," he responded, refusing to believe such a thing. "You're so hot, you don't even have to do anything but lay there."

It was her turn to laugh, scoffing at his compliment. He polished off his second beer, waving his hand to deny the bar tender of supplying him with another one. Felicity was still cackling, and he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Oliver, since you tell me about all the girls you sleep with, I know that the ones who just sit back while you do all the work are always the ones who don't get a call the next morning."

"Maybe if they were as hot as you, I would call them," he admitted.

"OK, can you stop calling me hot?" she asked, and he noticed that she had a slight redness on her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "It won't happen again."

"Thank you."

"So, back to the idea of you actually reading this book..."

"Would you make fun of me if I did?"

"Felicity, I would never make fun of you," he told her, eyebrows knit in seriousness.

"I know. It's just... It was all very embarrassing, you know? It makes me wonder how many guys were thinking the same thing."

"Barry definitely wasn't."

"Yeah, Barry was the one who sat back while _I_ did all the work," she agreed. "But from what I saw, the book could actually be useful."

"What were some of the tips?"

"I can't remember off the top of my head," she answered. "Want to hang out back at my place? I have some leftover beers from last weekend and you can read all you want of it."

"Yeah, let's go," he nodded, picking his jacket up off of the counter.

Felicity finished off the last drink of her beer, stumbling after him. Since he took his motorcycle there, he decided to just go with Felicity in her car. She did live fairly close to Verdant and he trusted to leave his bike in that area of town. He was surprised when she threw her keys at him and stepped into the passenger seat. She was so quiet the way over, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. However, when he parked her car into her parking space, she was quick to hop out.

He followed her to the elevators and up to her apartment door, though he had made so many trips there before, he could have done it himself. Since he was still holding her keys, he unlocked her door for her. She switched on the lights once they were inside, heading right for the booze. He locked up, taking a seat at one of her bar stools. From his view, he could see her clearly move around the kitchen in search of a bottle opener.

"I'm always losing it," she grumbled, shuffling through several drawers.

"Maybe it's by your bed?" he suggested, earning a not so amused look from Felicity.

"If I start drinking beer in bed, then you have permission to kill me," she told him, finally finding it thrown in the kitchen sink.

He watched her snap open the beers, handing one his way. With one hand on her hip, she took a brief drink of her beer. He let a few minutes pass before speaking.

"So, where is this book?"

She groaned, leaving the kitchen and heading right for the kitchen table. He saw the book before she got there, surprised that it wasn't as thick as he had originally thought. As she made her way over to him, he saw her slip a small piece of paper into her fist and crumple it up. He raised his eyebrows at her in question.

"It was the note Cooper left me," she explained, handing him the book.

He glanced over the cover, feeling the velvet lining of it with a confused look on his face. If he had just been skimming a room full of books and this one was in there, he probably wouldn't have thought it was the kind of book that it was.

"Turn off, right?" she asked, sitting on the stool next to him.

He caught the way her skirt rode up her thigh at that action, and cursed his brain for heightening everything once he had a few to drink. Shaking his head, he remembered that she had asked him a question.

"What is?"

"The color of the book," she answered. "I mean, green doesn't exactly put someone in the mood."

"Hey, green is my favorite color," he defended.

"I know."

He lifted open the cover page, seeing that it went right ahead into the sex tips.

"Wow," he mumbled, a little surprised. "It has pictures."

"I know, right?" Felicity laughed, taking a drink from Oliver's beer.

He didn't acknowledge the action, though it always made him smile when she did that. Flipping through the pages, he leaned back with a sigh. He set the book down on the counter, taking his beer from Felicity's hands. She got off the stool, grabbing hers from the kitchen. He took a swig from his bottle, tasting her lipstick around the rim.

"So, what do you think? About the book," she clarified, hopping back onto the stool.

"It looks interesting," he shrugged. "I'd do it."

"You would," she repeated, sounding doubtful.

"Yeah," he nodded. "There's nothing too crazy in there from what I've seen. Maybe it really works."

"I'm sure you've already done ninety percent of the things in there," she accused, eyebrows raised to see if he'd challenge that statement.

"Actually, I don't really experiment much in the bedroom. I haven't done something new in... Well, let's just say a really long time."

"Oliver Queen is admitting to using the same moves in the bedroom?" Felicity gasped, feigning shock.

"Why learn new moves when it's never the same girl?" he pointed out.

"And his playboy status is redeemed."

They laughed lightly, Oliver watching as Felicity opened up the book again. Her fingers paused at tip #8, and his curiosity peaked.

"Want to know something embarrassing? I've never had sex in a shower."

Oliver noticed that that happened to be the page she stopped on. His throat tightened, but he managed to find his words.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know," she sighed, locking eyes with him. "What's it like?"

He pondered that for a few seconds, debating whether or not to change the subject. Though he and Felicity had had plenty of conversations about sex in the past, it had never been like this. This was different. She was asking him for intimate opinions and preferences that he had never thought of sharing with anyone openly.

"It's refreshing," he answered, deciding that was a safe word to use. "Depending on the shower, it can be really enjoyable."

"What about my shower?" she prompted. "Do you think it would work?"

His eyes flashed, and he noticed his heart was racing. He tried to think about something else, but was finding it impossible to do. The beers were messing with his head. If he were sober, he was sure his mind wouldn't be going to the places they were now. Involuntarily, an image of Felicity's soapy body filled his mind, and he felt his jaw clench. He looked up and his eyes met Felicity's. They were darker than usual, and seemed to have been catching his every thought.

"I'm sure your shower would be perfect for that," he replied, voice surprisingly calm.

She opened her mouth, shutting it almost immediately. Suddenly, she was on her feet and moving away from him.

"It's been a long day," she said, moving into her linen closet and pulling out a blanket and pillow. "I assume you're staying the night."

"Only if that's OK with you," he told her, wiping his palms on his thighs to settle his nerves.

"Of course," she returned, placing the items on the couch. "After the day I've had, I think I'm in need of a long shower."

He cleared his throat, trying to hide his reaction.

"OK."

She waited a second to see if he'd say anything else, then headed off for her bedroom.

"Feel free to come and get me if you need anything," she said, eyes glinting in a subtly suggestive way that Oliver, who was hanging onto her every word and move, caught.

Her heels made a small clicking sound as she went to her room. His eyes had followed her leaving figure, brain too fried to think clearly. He chugged down the rest of his beer, doing the same with hers. Going into the kitchen to toss the empty bottles into the trash, he leaned over the counter. She had basically invited him to shower with her, right?

This night could now go either one of two ways in his mind. First, he could set up his spot on the couch and attempt to get some sleep. The other option was to go into Felicity's bathroom and do what both of them obviously wanted. He was angry that she left the decision up to him.

The sound of the shower starting had his head snapping up. With every ounce of restraint he had left, he went over to the couch. He set up his blanket and pillow, grumbling the whole time. The sound of the water was taunting him, and all he could think about was how easy it would be to go into her bathroom and end the night without the sexual frustration he had been carrying around for nearly a month now.

Unconsciously, his feet guided him until he was standing outside her bathroom door. It was cracked open, and he could see the steam rushing out to enter the darkness of her room. His fingers pushed open the door slowly, unable to make out Felicity through the black curtain. He thought about going back, he honestly did. But then, he saw her panties lying on the plush rug and he lost function in the last part of his brain that was still thinking clearly.

He shed himself of his shirt, kicking off his pants and boxers along with it. His hand pulled the curtain open just enough to step inside, the sight in front of him overwhelming. Felicity had her back to him, but he could see the curves of her breasts and the tiny droplets of water that seemed to lead a trail down to her ass. Her blonde hair was plastered to her back, appearing darker now that it was wet.

It didn't take long for his body to catch up with his eyes. He stepped towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She tensed, turning around to face him. His lips tumbled onto hers, pressing her up against the wall so that she was no longer under the water. The shiver that ran through her at the feeling of skin meeting cold tile made a small noise escape through her lips.

Oliver's hands cupped her face, tongue outlining the plump curve of her lips. She opened her mouth, moaning when his tongue thrashed against hers. His lower half swung forward , and she could feel him hard against her stomach. A want like no other overcame her, and she reached between them to take him in her hand. Slowly, she stroked him, managing to keep up in the battle of her tongue against his.

He stepped back, standing directly underneath the rays of water that shot from the shower head. Her breath caught at the image in front of her. Water dripped off of his solid form, gathering in the crevices of his abs. He ran one hand over his face and through his short hair, causing the ends to stand up. His body was pulsing as he tried to regain his even breathing.

She took a step forward, sharing the water with him. When their lips met again, there was a tenderness there that hadn't been the last time. She felt him reach upwards, pulling away to see him holding her body wash in his hand. He popped open the top, inhaling deeply.

"Lavender," he commented, opening his eyes to see her nod her head. "God, you always smell like this. It's so... comforting."

The unlikely intensity of those words had heat pooling inside of her and only adding to the fire of want she held for him. His large hands gathered soap from the bottle, and the look he gave her told her to step closer. She did so, and he turned her around so that her back was facing him. The feel of his hands running along her shoulders and down the curves of her back made her head tilt back. Instinctively, he stepped closer to her so that her head was pressed into his chest and he could suck on the creamy skin of her neck.

The noise that followed had his cock twitching in want. Smoothly, his hands made their way around her body and towards her breasts. The soap made it easy to glide his palms over the swell of her breasts and along the hardened peaks of her nipples. She slipped a hand behind her to tug at his hair when he tweaked one of her nipples between his fingers.

His other hand traveled downwards, finding its way directly below her wet folds. Daringly, he slipped a finger between them. Her breath hitched, nails scratching at his scalp. He rubbed against her, slipping his finger into her. The way his name sounded from her lips was the only way he wanted to hear his name from now on. Because it physically pained him not to hear it again, he slid another finger into her. Just as he'd hoped, she cried his name in the same wavering way.

He moved his fingers against her, increasing the pace. Her hand covered his, guiding him along at the tempo that her body needed. He molded into her as she rode his fingers, kissing whatever skin he could reach. He curved his fingers slightly, causing a string of pleas to escape through her swollen lips.

"Oliver, oh god, Oliver," she cried, and he knew she was right there. "Please, Oliver. I'm going to-"

She cut herself off, her orgasm overtaking her. Her body threatened to fall to the floor, so he wrapped an arm around her midriff to steady her. When her feet were able to support her again, he let her go. Spinning her around, he cradled her face in his hands to kiss her once again. Her hands were quick to take a hold of him and lead him to her entrance.

He backed her up against the wall again, pushing his tip into her folds. Just that action had her arms wrapping around his neck desperately. Considering how little control he had right now, he decided to stop with the teasing. He pushed the rest of the way into her, overwhelmed by the feeling of her surrounding him.

"God, Felicity, you're so tight," he murmured into her neck.

She clenched herself around him, and he grumbled at the laugh she let out. He pulled out of her almost completely, before sliding right back in. That became a pattern, pace increasing until all that could be heard was the smacking sound of her body coming down onto his and the noises of pleasure she couldn't seem for the life of her to hold in.

He was going to lose it at any moment now. She felt so good, and he wasn't used to doing something as intimate as what he was doing with her felt like. Luckily, she seemed even more far gone than he was. Her nails dug into his back as she met him thrust for thrust. His head was fuzzy, and when she tightened around him, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

She came a second after he did, body leaning limply on his. He stayed inside of her for a few moments, trying to catch his breath. When he finally pulled out of her, he noticed the tiny sound of protest that came from her. No words were exchanged in the minutes that followed, so he stepped back out of the shower. He got dressed into the clothes he was wearing before, leaving her bathroom and going straight to her couch.

Eventually, he did hear the water shut off in the bathroom. Sounds of movement coming from in her room made his eyes snap open. A part of him hoped that she would come out and talk to him about what had just happened. The other part hoped she stayed in there and they'd try to forget it ever happened at all.

She never came out, so he drifted off into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please!


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys. Sorry I haven't been that active. I was going through a rough time, but it's getting easier now. Would you guys prefer it if I just posted the story all at once? The only reason I didn't was because I thought you would want to read it in strides instead of in bulk. But if you are more than fine with everything getting posted at once, then just let me know, and I'll do it. Thanks for your patience!

When Felicity woke up that morning, she had an ache between her legs where Oliver had been. She couldn't remember the last time she had been sore after sex. Just thinking about what her and Oliver had done sent a million waves of guilt and regret washing over her. She tried to blame the beer, but she wasn't drunk enough for that to be true. If she were being honest, what had happened last night would never have happened had Cooper not given her that gift.

Oliver holding the book last night had sent very inappropriate thoughts into her mind involving him and whatever was in that book. Then again, if he had rejected her, she would have stopped. Instead, he urged her on, playing along with her flirtatious game. Her last sentence before she left him in that room had been an invitation. She wanted it. It was obvious that she wanted it. It had been up to him whether or not he wanted it as well.

When he first entered her bathroom, a thrill had shot through her. She was excited and hopeful and just so horny that nothing else mattered. Of course, Oliver had been amazing. He was easily the best she'd ever had. That didn't stop the immediate pang of guilt and hurt she felt when he left her alone in that shower. She was tempted to go out there and talk to him, but knew they weren't in their right minds to speak rationally.

Now, she was sitting up in bed, debating whether or not to go out there. She would have to at some point. Stepping out of bed, she looked into the mirror by her dresser. Fixing her hair quickly, she opened up her door and stepped outside. It took a few steps, but soon she was turning into the living room to find an empty sofa. The blanket was folded neatly under the pillow, and disappointment filled her.

She checked the area for a note, not finding one. Sitting on the couch, she glanced around the room. Her head fell into her hands as she tried to figure out what she was going to do next.

"I need coffee," she decided, getting to her feet.

* * *

Oliver was awoken by the memories of last night replaying in his dream. He sat up in bed, breathing labored. Listening carefully, he was met with complete silence. Felicity was still asleep. Throwing his legs onto the floor, he stalked across the room. He went for his phone, clicking on the screen to find 10 missed called from his mother. Worry filled his gut as he called her back.

"Oliver?"

"Mom, what is it?" he asked, voice hushed.

"Oliver, where the hell are you? Why are you whispering?"

"I spent the night at Felicity's and she's still asleep. Is everything OK?"

"No, everything is not OK. Why aren't you at work right now?"

"Because it's a Saturday, Mom."

"You had an important meeting with the board today, Oliver. I've been reminding you about it for weeks."

"Oh yeah," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It completely slipped my mind. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. Walter is the one who took your place."

"How long ago did the meeting end?"

"As far as I know, it's still going on."

"OK, I'll be right over."

"Oliver, there is no point in you showing up now."

"I'd like to apologize for my absence," he explained. "And also, thank Walter for helping me out yet again."

"I'll tell him you're coming," Moira said, hanging up.

Oliver set his phone back down, heading straight for the linen closet Felicity had taken his blanket and pillow out of the night before. Inside was a spare suit he had asked to keep over in case of an emergency. He dressed quickly and returned to the living room only to fold his blanket. He left Felicity's apartment moments later, locking up with the spare key that she had given him so long ago.

Once he got outside, he remembered he had left his bike at the bar. Letting out a frustrated groan, he ran a hand over his face. There was no way he was going to walk the mile or so to the bar, but there was even less of a chance of him waking Felicity up and asking her for a ride. He debated whether or not to call his limo driver, but knew that would take way too long.

As if on cue, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, seeing that it was Tommy.

"Hello?"

"Oliver! Hey, how are you, man?"

"Tommy, where are you at right now?"

"That's actually why I'm calling. So, last night I met this girl, we took things back to my place, and I decided to take her out for a morning drink."

"It's like eight in the morning."

"It's not in China," Tommy remarked, and Oliver could hear female laughter in the background.

"Tommy, I really need your help."

"Yeah, where the hell are you, man?"

"Wait, what?"

"Well, I decided to take her to Verdant since you talk so highly of it, and I see your bike parked outside. Weirdly enough, you're not inside the bar."

"I stayed with Felicity last night."

"You and the hot blonde? Did something finally happen? Or are you still wearing your chastity belts around each other?"

"Tommy, I need you to come pick me up," Oliver instructed, not in the mood for his friend's antics at the moment. "I'm late for a board meeting and I need a ride."

"Why can't Felicity take you?"

"That's a long story."

"Oliver, I'm intrigued."

"Are you coming or not?"

"Only if you promise to tell me that story."

"Just come. I'll be waiting outside."

"I'll take that as a yes. Be there in five."

Tommy hung up before Oliver could protest. Oliver slipped is phone back into his pocket, placing his hands at his sides. When Tommy did reach the apartment, Oliver was quick to get in the car. Tommy looked at him through his sunglasses, jetting off.

"Am I taking you to work or your bike?" he asked.

"Work," Oliver answered, adjusting in the seat. "I just need to apologize to Walter for missing the meeting. Then, can you drive me back to my bike."

"Sure," Tommy agreed. "It's not like I have anything better to do."

"What happened to that girl you took to Verdant?"

"She stayed behind," he shrugged. "Said she was embarrassed about having my friends know we slept together."

"Soiled another reputation, huh?" Oliver snickered, shaking his head.

"Don't act like you don't have a different girl on your arm every night."

Oliver stayed quiet, staring out the window. After several minutes, they were pulling up in front of Queen Consolidated. Tommy parked the car, and they both started making their way towards the building. When they reached the correct floor, Oliver guided them to Walter's office. He passed by Felicity's old office on the way, and had to shake his head from the memories of last night that began to assault him.

Walter was in his office, looking over some documents. Oliver rapped his knuckles lightly against the open door, gaining Walter's attention.

"Oliver, your mother said you were coming by. How are you?"

"Walter, I want you to know how sorry I am for missing the meeting," Oliver apologized. "Last night was a little hectic."

Out of the corner of his eye, Oliver could see Tommy's eyebrows raise. He knew he wasn't getting out of explaining this one to his friend.

"Oliver, I completely understand. I've told your mother plenty of times that you've been working hard all month. You've hardly had a night off. The meeting went well and we came to an agreement on everything. The merger is still going successfully."

"That's great," Oliver said.

"It is," Walter nodded. "Unfortunately, the rest of this month will require about the same amount of hard work from you until everything is finalized."

"And I am more than willing to do that work," Oliver assured.

"Great. We can get started on Monday. For now, relax. It is a Saturday, after all."

"Thanks, Walter," Oliver smiled, leaving the office with Tommy by his side.

Walter was one of the few people at Queen Consolidated that was irreplaceable. Oliver trusted Walter with any and all things involving the company. When Oliver had taken over his father's company, he had promoted Walter. Basically, Walter was in charge of running the meetings Oliver was stuck attending nearly every day. He was also the one who spoke with the heads of many organizations and companies that took interest in Queen Consolidated. For example, he was the reason behind this merger that was currently taking place between Queen Consolidated and Palmer Technologies.

The merger was a solution to the bankruptcy both companies had found themselves in. Walter and the head of Palmer Technologies had formed an agreement that both companies would become one, and work their way out of their debt. Because of this crazy adjustment, Oliver had been bombarded with work. Felicity was just as affected by this, considering how she was his assistant. That is why their free time has been limited, and his sex life has been put on a temporary hold.

Well, apart from last night, of course.

As Oliver and Tommy rode down the elevator and into the parking lot, Oliver expected Tommy to bring up his night with Felicity. It was inevitable, and Oliver knew that. They managed to make it into Tommy's car and onto the road before he spoke up.

"Did you sleep with her?"

Oliver glanced over at him, surprised by his bluntness. "Yes."

Oliver decided to be as straightforward as possible, hoping to get this out of the way fast. There was no use in trying to hide it from Tommy when he so easily detected something was up. As Oliver would have guessed, Tommy didn't even flinch at his answer.

"Was it the first time?"

"Yes."

"You used a condom, right?"

"She's on the pill."

"Is that what she told you?" Tommy scoffed, having been told that one plenty of times before.

"Besides you, she's my best friend, Tommy. Of course I'm sure. I know everything about her."

"OK," Tommy conceded. "How did it happen?"

"An ex gave her this book on making things interesting in the bedroom. We were drunk and skimming through it. We started talking about sex in the shower, and it just kind of happened."

"In the shower?"

"Yes."

"Have I told you how proud I am to have you as my best friend?"

"Tommy, this isn't a joke."

"Sorry," he apologized, though Oliver sensed he didn't really mean it. "How was it?"

"Don't ask me that," Oliver murmured.

"Oh, wow," Tommy snickered, jaw hanging. "You liked it, didn't you? You freakin' loved it."

"That doesn't matter. We've ruined our friendship."

"Says who? Oliver, you can get past this. Hell, you could even strengthen your friendship from this."

"How?"

"Keep doing it," Tommy advised, earning a glare from Oliver. "Become friends with benefits. I've never had the luxury of having a girl best friend to try it out with, but I'm sure it's awesome."

"I am not going to have a beneficial friendship with Felicity."

"Why not?"

"It could end horribly," Oliver reasoned. "And I can't lose her as my friend."

"Then talk to her about what happened last night. You guys can move past it."

"You think so?"

"Of course I do. You're Oliver Queen. You can do whatever the hell you want."

"Yeah," Oliver chuckled. "I'll stop by her place tonight."

"Great! And then you can tell me what happens."

"We'll see," Oliver responded. "Do you want to grab a drink? It may be awhile before we can hang out like this again."

"I thought you didn't drink at eight," Tommy reminded him.

"It's not eight in China," Oliver returned, making Tommy grin.

"Good point, my friend. Very good point."

* * *

After Felicity had gotten her coffee, she had no idea what she was going to do with her day. Since she couldn't call Oliver to hang out, she tried to remember what she would be doing if they hadn't had gotten together. There had to be someone she could hang out with. Sara wouldn't work because she had told her earlier that week she had plans with Laurel. Thea would mean the chance of running into Oliver, and she was not willing to risk that.

Giving up, she went back to her apartment. There was a stack of paperwork she had been putting off that she really need to get done anyways. Time flew by with her head buried in work. She didn't even notice how late it had gotten until a knock on her door brought her out of her work. She jumped to her feet, rushing to the door. Swinging it open, she felt her jaw drop.

"Oliver," she acknowledged, finding it hard to speak.

"Hello, Felicity," he greeted, holding up pint of ice cream. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, I mean of course," she sputtered, allowing him to move past her. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

"I was going to call, but I didn't think you'd answer."

She tilted her head to the side, agreeing with that statement. She watched as he moved around her kitchen, grabbing two spoons from the drawer. Wordlessly, they moved over to the couch, Oliver handing her a spoon. She took the first bite, nodding her head in approval. He bought mint chocolate chip, her favorite.

"You did good, Queen," she told him, making him chuckle. "Now, about last night..."

"Look, last night, we weren't thinking with our heads. We both hadn't had sex in a really long time."

"OK, I know _I_ hadn't had sex in a really long time. I thought you got laid a few nights before."

"Actually, it had been a month," he admitted. "I kind of lied so you wouldn't think I was losing my game or something."

"How could you have gone a month?" she questioned, eyes wide.

"I haven't been available a lot because of work," he justified. "You know how it's been. You're my assistant. You get just as much work as I do."

"Of course. That's the reason _I_ haven't been getting laid. Work has been too demanding. I don't have time to go out and meet new people."

"So we agree our jobs are ruining our sex lives?"

"Oh, completely," she nodded, taking another bite. "I've been on the edge a lot lately. With the amount of work I'm doing, I need some good sex."

"You know, Walter said it's going to be another month of hard work before things go back to normal," Oliver informed her.

"Oliver, I'm going to quit," she decided, making him laugh. "I can't do this."

"Felicity, you can't leave me hanging on this. You're the best assistant I've ever had."

"That means nothing to me at the moment," she joked.

"My sex life is going to be affected by this, too."

"Oh, please. All you have to do is snap your fingers and you'll have a million girls ready to sleep with you."

"Felicity, guys are all over you, too. You just don't see it. You're hot," he shrugged.

"What did I tell you about calling me hot?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Why does it bother you so much?" he questioned, amused.

"I don't take compliments well. So, promise me you won't say it again."

"I'll try not to," he said, and she settled for that answer. "Felicity, Cooper is insane for thinking you are bad at sex because yesterday-"

He stopped himself, realizing he had gone too far. Felicity was staring at him, waiting for him to finish that sentence.

"I thought it was just me," she murmured, and his eyes locked with hers. "Last night, I thought I was the only one who thought it was good."

"No, I was definitely thinking the same thing."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, their minds racing a mile a minute. Felicity finally broke the silence, speaking slowly.

"I have this crazy idea. It's so crazy, in fact, that I don't even think I should say it," she started, looking into his eyes. "But I think I have to."

"OK..." he trailed off, mind racing with a million thoughts of what she could be trying to suggest.

"What if we make our way through the book? We'll do whichever ones we want, and when the merger is over, we'll stop."

"Do you think we'll be able to do that?"

"Oliver, we're best friends. This is just extending that friendship a little further for a short time. We'll both go into this knowing that it has an expiration date. It'll just be sex."

"Just sex?"

"Just sex," she repeated. "It'll help us get through the month faster."

"And we can't just do it normally? We have to do things from the book?"

"Well, considering the last time I had sex normally the guy bought me a book on how to improve myself, I think we should stick to the book. Besides, the shower tip was one of the hottest sexual experiences of my life."

"When you put it like that," he began, giving her a smile. "Yeah, I'm in."

"Alright," she nodded, extending her hand.

They shook on it, Felicity sticking another bite of ice cream in her mouth. She left behind a dab of ice cream on her lip, and he had the urge to remove it. He brought his hand to the back of her neck, guiding her lips to his. She gasped, hand abandoning the spoon to land on his forearm. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, tasting the leftover mint. She let out a moan, the grip on his arm tightening. Pulling away, he counted the seconds it took for her to open her eyes again.

"You had some ice cream on your lip," he explained, straightening up.

"Thanks," she whispered, looking away.

"Are we allowed to do that? Kissing, I mean."

"Yeah, it's fine," she answered, clearing her throat. "We should probably pick out the next tip."

"Oh, we're starting tonight?" he asked, drawing his hand back.

"Do you not want to?"

"No, I do. Trust me."

She flushed slightly at his eagerness, getting to her feet. The book was in the same place they had left it the night before. When she reached it, Oliver was a step behind her. He looked at the book over her shoulder, making her head fuzzy.

"Can you stand over there?" she asked him, gesturing to her right.

"Yeah, sorry," he murmured, stepping to her side.

"I just couldn't think with you standing so close," she explained, watching the confidence in him immediately restore. "Most of these involve us leaving the house or getting certain accessories."

"Like what?"

"Well, tip #17 requires lingerie."

"Which you don't have."

"Actually," she began, making his jaw drop slightly.

"You have lingerie?"

"Is it really that hard to believe?"

"Kind of," he laughed.

"Well, just for that I'm not going to let you see me in it," she decided, ego slightly bruised.

"I'm sorry," he amended, eyes still dancing in humor.

"Nope," she denied. "You lucked out, Queen. I look damn good in it."

"Felicity, I was kidding," he said, suddenly serious. "I kind of can't get the idea out of my head now."

"Too bad," she replied, flipping to another page. "What about #24?"

He let out a sigh, knowing there was no use in pressing her further. "Which one is that?"

"Apparently, we start off by giving each other a massage. Then, we get to the sex. It's supposed to be sensual or some crap like that."

"OK," he agreed. "Do we need oil or something?"

"It says oil is optional," she read, setting the book down. "I have some lotion though."

"That should work."

"Great. You can go into my room and I'll grab the lotion."

She left his side to go into the guest bathroom, and he headed for her bedroom. There were several bottles of lotion she had stored underneath the sink, but she chose the one with the dirtiest sounding name. When she returned, she saw Oliver standing by her dresser, arms behind his back. He looked like he felt out of place.

"This is awkward, isn't it?" she asked, crossing an arm over her chest.

"We just need some time to get used to it. I'm sure once the massage gets going, we'll be fine."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

She stepped forward, looking at the bed. It seemed to be calling out to her. Tossing the lotion onto the bed, she glanced back at him.

"Should we get naked?" he questioned, not feeling comfortable doing this in his jeans.

"Maybe just down to our underwear," she suggested, and he nodded in agreement.

She watched as he undid each button on his shirt, marveling at the taut muscle underneath. His pants came off next, and she could faintly see the outline of him through his boxers. He stood there, patiently waiting for her to undress. She lifted up her shirt, it landing in a heap by her feet. The short shorts she was wearing were discarded after that, leaving her in just her bra and underwear.

He sucked in a breath, and she felt the heat rush to her face. As she crawled onto the bed, she could feel his eyes studying her. Her front was flat against the mattress, feeling the dip in the bed when he got on after her. His knees were to the left of her, and she could hear the click of him opening the lotion. Squirting some onto his hands, he began to rub small circles into her shoulder blades.

His hands were so large and he pressed into her roughly. She bit down on her hand, squirming from the small pain he was unintentionally causing her. After a minute, she lifted herself up, causing him to back off. He glanced at her, a sheepish grin on his face.

"That may or may not have been my first attempt at a massage," he told her.

"You don't say," she sarcastically replied, shaking her head teasingly. "Let me show you how it's done."

He lowered himself onto the mattress, tucking his chin onto his arm. She straddled his back, ignoring the glorious friction that it caused. She squirted some lotion onto her hands, placing them right by his neck. Gently, she rubbed her fingers into the skin. The tension began to fade away, and a low rumble of pleasure came from him. Smirking, she ran her hands farther down his back. Her knuckles dug softly into the space between his shoulder blades, making his eyes roll back.

"OK, you are way too good at this," he muttered.

"I wish I could say I've had a lot of practice, but that would be a lie."

"How are you so good?"

"I'm just going off of what I see in the movies."

"Porn?"

"No!" she scoffed, smacking his bare shoulder. "Most of the porn movies I see take place in office buildings."

He turned his neck to glance at her, and she let out a laugh.

"Are you serious?"

"You really can't take a joke, can you?"

He sighed, turning back around. She could see the small smile on his face, and decided she had had enough of the massage. Using her hands, she encouraged him to flip onto his back. He did so, and she resumed her straddling position over him. Her hands ran over his chest and along the indents of his abs, the lotion making it all the more easier to glide over the firm muscles. She could feel him harden beneath her, obviously enjoying the sight in front of him. She rubbed against him a few times, both of them letting out small sounds of pleasure.

Reaching behind her, she unhooked her bra. She flung it across the room, standing up to remove her panties. He sat up on his elbows, eyes glued to her body. She reached for the tent in his boxers, pulling him out for her to see. He fell back onto the bed, eyes clenching shut as she stroked him. Pulling his boxers completely off, she climbed on top of him. After raising herself above him, she slowly slid him into her.

"Fuck," she breathed, hands splaying flat against his strong chest.

He placed his hands on either sides of her, lifting her up and back down. Soon, she was setting her own pace, throwing her head back in pleasure. His fingers pressed into her hips, face reddening with concentration. She lowered herself, flipping her hair over one shoulder and bringing her lips to his. They kissed fiercely, tongues colliding in a duel. Her back arched as she continued to ride him, moaning into his mouth.

His hands slid along her side, stopping to cup her breasts. They filled his hands perfectly, and he bit her lip hungrily. Thrusting his hips upwards, he met her just as she came down. Wrapping his arms securely around her back, he quickened the pace. He was now entering her at an impossible speed, her fists clenching the bed sheets desperately.

"I'm close, Oliver," she cried, as he kissed her neck.

"Come for me, Felicity," he ordered, getting a tightening feeling deep inside that he didn't want to think about at the moment.

It only took six more definite thrusts before she was burying her head into his chest and crying out his name. He let go himself, biting down lightly onto her shoulder. He licked over the spot, soothing the red mark he had made. Holding her to his chest, they began to regulate their breathing. When she finally removed herself from on top of him, he exhaled loudly. "Was that-"

"Mind blowing? Yeah," he nodded, turning his head to look at her. "God, Cooper must have been insane."

"Am I really that good?" she asked, that being the second time he complimented her that night.

"Usually, I don't have to worry about my stamina. With you, I find myself struggling to hang on. You are that good."

"You'e doing an excellent job yourself," she responded, blushing from his words. "Cooper doesn't even come close to you."

"Good to know," Oliver said, her words doing wonders for his ego. "But I do think the massage was a fail."

"Really? I thought it was hot."

"You were putting me to sleep more than you were turning me on."

"Words every girl wants to hear," she replied, making him laugh.

"I'm sorry, but if it were me massaging you like that, you would understand."

"Well, you're little friend there didn't seem to have a problem waking up."

"Little?" he repeated, acting hurt.

She blushed, covering her face with her hands.

"That's not what I meant. You know, you're actually really-" she paused, seeing his raised eyebrows that were awaiting her compliment. "Never mind."

"No, say it. Please," he urged, eyes glinting with amusement.

"OK, I was going to say that you're actually _really_ little," she lied, screaming when he flipped over so that he was hovering her.

"Not funny."

"I thought it was," she joked, lightly shoving him off of her. "Put some pants on, Queen."

"Oh, I see. You just use me for sex and then kick me out, huh?" he taunted, stepping back into his boxers.

"I'm glad you're finally catching on."

"Whatever," he laughed, pulling his shirt back on. "I'm going to head out. I'll put the rest of the ice cream in the freezer for you."

"You're the best!" she called, watching him leave her room.

He came back in a minute later, going over to where he had taken off his clothes.

"My keys must have slipped out of my pocket," he explained, holding them up.

"I think you just wanted to see me naked again," she told him, making him hang his head.

"Don't flatter yourself, Smoak."

He walked back out, shaking his head the whole time. She closed her eyes, a smile plastered onto her face. A sound at her door made her look up.

"Sorry, my wallet must have slipped out, too," he apologized, eyes scanning over her body yet again.

"I'm going to kill you," she threatened, grinning.

"I'm leaving," he promised, holding up his hands in defeat and leaving her sight. He poked his head through her door one last time. "Oh, and Felicity? You're hot."

He moved just in time to dodge the pillow she threw full force in his direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Remember to let me know if you want this all posted at once! Thanks.


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I'm posting all at once then! Thank you for all the positive feedback! I was surprised by how eager you guys were for more! That truly means a lot! Thanks again! :)

"So, what happened with you and Felicity yesterday?" Tommy asked, taking a bite into his burrito.

Oliver had made plans with Tommy after their drinks to meet up for lunch the next day. When he got home from Felicity's yesterday, he had a long internal debate about whether or not to tell Tommy about his newly established relationship with her. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, yet he knew Tommy would make it one anyway. Plus, he didn't feel like letting anyone in on the personal details involving his life with Felicity.

That's why in the end, he decided against it. It wasn't anyone's business anyways.

"Nothing," Oliver answered, leaning back.

"Really?" Tommy pressed, earning a nod from Oliver. "You show up at her place with a pint of ice cream and expect me to believe that nothing happened between you guys?"

"We talked about what happened, and we moved past it," Oliver shrugged.

"You screw her in the shower, and all it takes is a pint of vanilla to leave it in the past? C'mon, Oliver. I'm not a fool."

"It was mint chocolate chip actually," he corrected. "And what exactly do you think happened?"

"I think that you guys are still screwing," Tommy guessed, hitting the nail right on the head as per usual. "I think that you knew it was going to happen, and that's why you showed up at her place unannounced. If you had invited her to meet somewhere public, you knew your chances of scoring would be nearly impossible."

"They were always impossible, Tommy. Nothing would have ever happened if she wasn't mad at her ex."

He realized the truth in his own words, but shrugged off the feeling that came with it.

"Fine, I believe you. Nothing happened," Tommy repeated. "I'm going to be so mad at you if I find out otherwise though."

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

"Maybe a part of me always thought you guys would be good together," he admitted, wiping his hands on his napkin.

"I thought you didn't believe in relationships," Oliver recalled, taken aback by Tommy's words.

"I don't believe in _me_ in a relationship," Tommy clarified. "I'm too good looking to be tied down."

Oliver laughed, shaking his head at his friend. Tommy grinned, glancing up at the game.

"We're losing," Oliver observed.

"Not surprised," Tommy grumbled. "This is why I don't invest time in sports. Our teams all suck."

"Tommy, you buy season passes to every sport every year," Oliver scoffed.

"That's strictly for picking up women," Tommy informed Oliver, pointing a finger at him. "Besides, you buy them, too."

"Well I actually go."

"Bull," Tommy remarked.

"I take Thea."

"Thea hates sports."

"Really?"

"Yeah, man. I think she goes because she thinks you like sports."

"I guess I should sell my tickets then," Oliver murmured.

"Or, you could keep them," Tommy suggested.

"Why?"

"We can go on a double date. I can bring an unknown person at the moment, and you can bring Felicity."

"Back to me and Felicity, huh?" Oliver questioned.

"I'm sorry, but you slept with the only girl to ever shoot me down, and you won't even tell me what it was like."

"That's personal."

"Oliver, I've heard every single gory detail from pretty much every sexual encounter you've had. How is this any different?"

Oliver pondered that for a moment, asking himself the same question. If it were any other girl, Oliver would have already reenacted the night to his best friend. Now, he wouldn't even give Tommy the basic information. The answer finally hit him, and he responded slowly.

"Because I respect Felicity."

* * *

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Felicity apologized, taking a seat at the table.

"It's fine. I just got here a couple minutes ago," Sara said, waving her hand in the air carelessly.

Felicity smiled, looking over as the waiter approached them to take their orders. When Sara had called Felicity last night to invite her to lunch, Felicity had been more than happy to agree. She had wanted to catch up with Sara for a long time, and this would pretty much be her last available day to hang out. Plus, hanging out with friends was always better than staying at home, waiting for her best friend with benefits to show up.

Felicity and Sara had met through Oliver. His family had been throwing one of their annual parties, and Oliver had taken her with him to help him survive it. Sara had approached her, asking if she was sleeping with Oliver. Felicity found the assumption absolutely hilarious, and Sara quickly agreed. They spent the rest of the night talking, and had been close ever since.

Oh, how the times have changed.

"So, what have you been up to?" Felicity asked, smiling.

"I've kind of started seeing someone," Sara admitted, blushing slightly.

"Are you serious? Who?"

"Well, I'd rather you meet them in person. Do you think we could do lunch next weekend?"

"I have a lot of work to do," Felicity pouted. "I might be able to move some things around though."

"Please try," Sara urged. "I really like this one, Felicity."

"Sara, that's great. I am really happy for you."

"Enough about my love life. What's been going on with you in the romance department?"

Felicity hesitated, flushing as an image of Oliver naked flashed across her mind.

"I'm kind of taking a break from relationships at the moment."

"Good for you," Sara smiled, proud of Felicity's independence. "You know who isn't taking a break from relationships?"

"Who?"

"Laurel," Sara answered, rolling her eyes. "She's waiting for Oliver to come around again."

"He had mentioned something about her stopping by his office. I didn't think she was that serious about it."

"She'll get over it in a few days. She just needs a good lay."

"That's all I needed," Felicity agreed, watching as Sara gave her a weird look. "What?"

"Are you getting laid?"

"What? No!" she denied, knowing Sara could see right through her. She shrugged. "It's nothing."

"Who is it?"

"Sara, it's just sex," she tried to explain.

"It's someone I know, isn't it? Tell me."

"Sara-"

"Felicity," Sara warned. "Tell me who it is."

"You're going to be disappointed in me."

"Oh, no," Sara gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"What?" Felicity asked.

"It's Tommy, isn't it?"

"I'm not that horny," Felicity snickered.

"If not him, then who? He's the only person I can think of that we both know. It is a guy, right?"

"Yes, Sara, it's a guy," Felicity answered, shaking her head.

"Hey, you never know," Sara shrugged. "The only other guy I cant think of is Oliver, but you would never go that-" Sara stopped, seeing the blood drain from Felicity's face at the mention of Oliver. "Oh my god, it's Oliver. Oh my god, Felicity! What the _hell_ were you thinking?"

"It just sort of happened," Felicity justified.

"Sex doesn't just sort of happen. What, were you both drugged or something? That is like the only explanation."

"No, although we were drinking that night."

"Never mix alcohol and boys!" Sara scolded. "Felicity, this is the first thing they teach us growing up."

"Uh, the first thing? I don't know-"

"Focus, Felicity. What happened afterwards?"

"He went home..."

"He didn't stay to cuddle?" Sara asked, knitting her brows.

"It wasn't that kind of hook up, Sara. The first time, we were in the shower."

Felicity realized her mistake after she had already finished speaking. She closed her eyes, cursing under her breath.

" _The first time_?" Sara repeated, voice raised. "Where in the hell is that waiter with our drinks?"

"You didn't even order alcohol."

"How many times were there, Felicity? And just how long were you going to go without telling me this?"

"It only happened twice. And I didn't think it was a big deal. We both agreed it meant nothing. It was strictly for pleasure."

"Was the last time the last time?"

"Sure, we'll go with that."

"I'm going to hurt you," Sara threatened.

"Look, Sara. I would try to explain it all to you, but you just wouldn't understand. What's going on between me and Oliver is something that only makes sense to us."

"Felicity, this has to end at some point. One of you is going to end up seriously hurt."

"We've already set a date. When it reaches the end of this month, we stop. Things go back to normal, and we never speak of it again."

"Why a month?"

"The merger ends in a month."

"This is insane. Do you actually think it's going to work out?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Felicity shrugged.

"It's scaring me how OK with this you are. You could be losing your best friend here."

"Sara, if I thought our relationship wouldn't be able to take it, then I wouldn't have suggested it at all. We're going to be fine."

Sara didn't respond, but Felicity could feel the doubt coming from her. For a split second, she felt that same flicker of uncertainty, and her heart sank. A voice in the back of her head assured her everything would be all right. Nothing bad would happen.

Her and Oliver would be just fine.

* * *

Oliver showed up at Felicity's house later that evening, wine bottle in hand. When she opened the door, he could smell the food she was making in the air.

"Hey, I brought your favorite," he told her, holding up the bottle.

"You're amazing," she replied, taking the bottle from him. "Do you mind if I pour it on the chicken?"

"Do what you want," he encouraged, taking a seat at the bar stool. Oliver picked up a magazine that was on her counter, smiling knowingly at the cover image. "Still obsessing over Paris, huh?"

She turned around, seeing what was in his hands and laughing. "It's beautiful there. Or, at least that's what I've heard."

"It's not that great."

"I still can't believe you went without me," she recalled, shaking her head.

"It was business," he justified. "And I thought we agreed to let that one go."

"I know."

She smiled at him over her shoulder, letting him know she wasn't really mad at all. She began humming to herself as she cooked. He watched her with amusement, sparking up another conversation.

"So, how was your day?"

"Fine," she answered, popping open the bottle of wine to pour over the chicken. "I met up with Sara today for lunch."

"Really? How is she?"

"She's great. She met someone. I didn't get any details from her, but she promised she'd set up a lunch date so I can meet this mystery person."

"Good for her," Oliver said. "What did you guys talk about?"

"She said Laurel really wants you back," Felicity told him, glancing back at him.

"Not gonna happen," he murmured, missing the curve of her lips.

"What did you do today?"

"I had lunch with Tommy. He kept pressing me for details on us," he informed her, watching her reaction.

"Did you confess to him all of the dirty details of our new friendship?" she questioned dramatically, making him chuckle.

"No," he denied. "He wouldn't understand."

"Tommy not understanding a relationship based purely on sex?" Felicity scoffed. "Are we talking about the same Tommy?"

"Hey, we are not just about sex. You are my best friend."

She smiled, stirring the chicken around. "You're right."

"Besides, it's none of his business."

"Well, knowing Tommy, he'll find out eventually."

Oliver stayed quiet, knowing that she was right. He noticed Felicity struggling to manage the chicken and pasta, and rose from his chair. Going to the faucet, he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and scrubbed his hands. He took over the chicken, earning a grateful smile from her. They moved around so comfortably in her kitchen, it caught them both by surprise. Oliver paid attention to the way her lips pressed together in concentration, and that urge to kiss her became apparent again.

"So, I've decided how we're going to have sex tonight," she announced, startling him from his thoughts.

"Uh, what?" he sputtered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I know it sounds weird to say, but I figured we should talk about it," she explained, sounding as if she were discussing something innocent like the weather with him.

"Well, what is it?"

"Tip #43," she answered, "Dancing."

"Dancing?" he repeated, furrowing his brows.

"I know, I'm a little doubtful myself. I just picked a random number and it happened to be on that page."

"Is that how we're doing it from now on? Just picking some random number?"

"I don't know. We could."

He tilted his head in curiosity. "Explain to me what this dancing one is supposed to be about."

"Apparently, we pick a song of our choice to dance to. The dancing is supposed to arouse us until we can't take it anymore," she informed him, getting dramatic once again.

"Nice," he remarked, smiling at her. "I just don't see that happening."

"If it doesn't work, we can just pick another tip."

"How long should we give it?"

"Well, someone's eager, aren't they?" she teased, spinning the pasta around.

"Sorry," he murmured, face reddening slightly.

"Relax. I'm hornier than ever right now," she said, bringing them out of the awkward moment so easily, he admired her for it.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of that," he assured, earning a smack to his shoulder.

"All this sex is just getting to your head, Queen. I don't like it."

"I think your body might disagree," he taunted, making her toss a noodle his way. "You just make it way too easy."

"Easy is the new hard."

"What?"

"I have no idea," she admitted, as they burst into laughter.

"Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"It just felt right, didn't it?"

"No," he denied, shaking his head with a grin. "You are so weird sometimes."

"You love it," she said, an he couldn't argue with that.

Once dinner was finished, Felicity set the table while Oliver poured them wine. The bottle was halfway gone from what Felicity had been putting in the food and the small sips she had been sneaking when she thought he wasn't paying attention. They sat across from each other, discussing work and other things. When they were both finished, Oliver helped her clear the table.

She busied herself with finding records to dance to. She picked her favorite one for each genre, deciding they would make their way through the stack until one of them worked. Oliver folded his sleeves back down, joining her in the living room.

"What's first?" he asked, hands in his pockets.

"I'm thinking The Kin," she said, holding up their album.

Visibly, he swallowed. Her head cocked to the side as she shot him a questioning look. He cleared his throat, looking down for a split second before meeting her eyes again. His lips curved upwards slightly, any weirdness he had previously shown gone.

"Good choice," he complimented, watching as she set the record on the player.

The music filled the air, and Felicity smiled in memory of when she had first heard them. Funnily enough, Oliver had shown them to her. It was late and they were having one of their heated discussions on what qualified as music these days, when Oliver finally stopped her and pulled out his phone. He played her one of their songs, and she had shut up for the whole three minutes and eighteen seconds it took for the song to end. Immediately, she had loved them. They were one of the few bands she bought the CD for so that she could hear it in her car.

The music sounded, low and soft. Felicity shot Oliver a smile, encouraging him to come closer. He returned the smile, approaching her hesitantly. His arm slipped around her back, their bodies close, but not completely pressed together. Resting her hands around his neck, she stared up at him. Slowly, they began to sway to the soft lyrics.

Eventually, her body ended up against his, hand resting on his chest. Two hands settled on her hips, moving her along with him.

"I remember the night in Verdant when you showed me The Kin," she recalled, playing with his collar. "I didn't think it was possible to shut me up for a whole song."

He chuckled, drawing her closer. "I knew you'd love them before I showed them to you."

"How?"

He hesitated. "Let's just call it being friends for so long."

Their voices had gotten considerably lower. Had they not been pressed against one another, their words would have been inaudible. Being this close to him caused a strange tightness to appear in her stomach. Letting out a breath, she pushed that feeling away.

"I think you know me better than anyone."

"Same here."

"Even more than Tommy?" she prompted, feeling the vibration of him laughing against her cheek.

"Tommy, knows the playboy side of me. You know everything else."

"Unfortunately," she joked, feeling the way his scruff scraped her ear as he shook his head.

"You really like to mess with me, don't you?"

"You mess with me plenty," she pointed out, sharing the blame.

"It's not nearly enough," he argued.

They stayed quiet, her eyes shutting as they moved so slowly to the music that she wondered if they were standing in place. The feel of his chest rising and falling with each breath to Photograph was a comfort like no other, and the closeness she felt to him at that moment was overwhelming. Suddenly, she felt his hand run up her back, pulling away to tug her hair loose from its elastic confines.

Blonde locks tumbled down her shoulders and onto her back, and she swore she felt his breath catch. Gently, his hand tangled in her hair, massaging her scalp. She hummed in pleasure, holding him tighter.

"Felicity," he murmured, his voice like silk to her at the moment.

"Hmm?"

He pulled her away from him, cupping her face. Tilting her head upwards, he crashed his lips onto hers. Her hands stayed around his neck, body rising onto the ends of her toes to meet his lips better. His tongue ran over her lip, and she opened her mouth to him. The kiss heated quickly, his hands moving to the back of her head to bury themselves into her hair and kiss her more eagerly. She wound her arms tighter around his neck, tasting every inch of his mouth. Oliver pulled away from her, chest heaving. She stared back at him, seeing the same thought appear in his mind as had been present in hers.

In an instant, her hands were pushing him into the wall adjacent to her bedroom. His back hit the plaster with a thud, lips curling in a way that had moisture pooling between her legs. Taking a hold of opposite sides of his collar, she tugged the fabric apart. Buttons snapped off, bouncing as they hit the hardwood floors of her apartment.

Pushing the shirt off his shoulders. she began to lick and suck on his chest. Her nails scraped over his abs, arousing him in a way he didn't think was possible. His hands rode up under the fabric of her dress, lifting the thin clothing over her head and pulling her against him. The moment before they kissed was one of the hottest things they've ever experienced. They communicated with each other through their eyes. Oliver's chest was heaving, and Felicity could see all of the things he wanted to do to her. In Felicity's eyes, Oliver saw the willingness she had to give herself over to him.

Their lips met together, a mixture of tongue and teeth. Hiking her legs up, she instinctively wrapped them around his waist. His feet guided them to her table, setting her down on the smooth surface. With her letting out a gasp, he placed a palm flat against her chest. He unfastened his belt, shoving his pants down until they gathered at his ankles.

Leaning his body forward, he pressed his lips to her stomach. She sucked in a breath, one hand falling to land on his head. He kissed his way down her body, looping his fingers inside the sides of her panties and tugging. Despite his efforts to remove them without harm, they still crackled with the sound of cotton tearing. Staring down at her body, open and pleading for his, he thought he might explode.

Gripping her hips tightly, he dragged her to the edge of the table. He was inside of her in one swift motion, throbbing from the moan she had let out. Extending his arms, he helped her into a sort of sitting position. She kept one hand on the back of his neck, while the other held his shoulder. Skipping the slow buildup, he went straight for the fast pace. The music blared in his ear, lyrics becoming meaningless next to Felicity's cries.

Every time her body came back down against his, he felt his head blur a little more. Her noises of pleasure were right in his ear, and he found his nails digging into the soft skin at her sides. If she noticed, she didn't say anything. He slid his hands over her legs, pulling them up so that they were bent at the knee. His arms wrapped around the angle, causing her body to fall back against the table again.

With the switch in positions, there was no work for her to do. He was controlling everything. The advantages to that were almost too much for him. He was pushing into her at a speed that had her head spinning. He knew she was close from the way she said his name and how her hands crawled around frantically, looking for something to grab onto.

When she did let go, he was right there with her. The heels of his palms pressed into the back of her thighs, his head tilting back. As he pulled out of her, he considered asking to stay the night. However, something in the back of his mind told him it was a bad idea. Now that they were sleeping together, he was afraid she would think it was too intimate and call things off altogether.

As his breathing regulated, he began to recognize words again that weren't his name or a string of pleas for God. He pulled his pants back up, attempting to button his shirt but realizing it was useless. Felicity got down from the table, almost falling. She grabbed onto the corner of the table just in time, face red.

"My legs are a little wobbly," she admitted, watching the smirk spread onto his face. "I guess the dancing really did work."

"Well, to be fair, it wasn't going to take much to set me off," he told her, shrugging nonchalantly.

"You know, I pushed you against the wall by my bedroom so that we could actually have sex _in_ my bedroom."

"I'd never had sex on a table before," he justified. "It's definitely something I would do again though. Is that in the book?"

"Sex on the kitchen table? No, I don't think it is," she sarcastically remarked, shaking her head. "I'm going to have to burn this table now."

"Relax," he said, chuckling. "I'll buy you a new one."

"Why don't you buy me a new pair of panties while you're at it?" she suggested, holding up the ripped pair.

"Sure," he agreed. "Just as long as you plan on buying me a new shirt."

He gestured towards the loose threads sticking out from where the buttons had been, and the several that were scattered across the floor.

"Hey, I wanted to see what it was like to rip a guy's shirt off."

"And how was it?"

"Strangely exhilarating."

"How about we just call it even?"

"Deal."

Felicity informed him of an extra shirt of his she had hanging in her closet for some reason she could not remember. He thanked her, entering her room to put it on. When he came back out, he saw her attempting to redress. He moved over to stand by the record player as New Day played to give her some privacy. Once she was dressed again, she went into the kitchen to drink the rest of her wine.

"Well, tomorrow should be interesting," she commented, crossing her arms.

He stepped nearer to her, leaning in the archway of her kitchen. "We'll have to behave ourselves for most of the day," he pointed out.

"Our offices are connected," she added. "With glass walls."

"Basically, we're screwed."

"Basically," she agreed.

They laughed, hugging as she walked him the few feet to her door.

"Get some rest," he advised. "We have that board meeting first thing tomorrow."

"I will. Bye, Oliver."

"Bye, Felicity."

He smiled at her before turning around and walking off. She locked up her door, taking the record off the player. It didn't take her long to drift off into sleep that night.

She wondered why.


	5. Chapter Four

Felicity groaned, splaying her arm across the cold and empty sheets that had gathered next to her. Something didn't feel right. She opened up on eye, focusing on the bright numbers from her clock.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed, tumbling out of bed.

She had overslept.

For some reason, she had failed to hear her alarm. Now, she only had an hour before she was expected for work. She rushed into her bathroom, showering in record time. After picking out an outfit to wear with the heels to match, she dressed herself quickly. She picked her hair up, putting on a light layer of makeup. With fifteen minutes left to spare, she ran out of her house.

The car ride took her ten minutes. Thankfully, there wasn't much traffic on the roads. She was in the elevator and at her desk just in time. Gathering her papers together for the board meeting that started in ten minutes, she heard someone at her door. Turning around, she saw Oliver standing there, hands behind his back.

"You seem rushed," he observed, lips fighting back a grin.

"My alarm didn't go off this morning," she explained, stopping her hands.

"I'm guessing you didn't have time for your morning coffee?"

"You guess correctly," she grumbled.

"Then I'm really glad I brought you this," he said, revealing a cup of coffee from behind his back.

Her jaw dropped, hands eagerly accepting the coffee from him. She took a sip, making him smile at the way her eyes closed. It was something he noticed she did briefly after they met. This was not the first time he had brought her coffee, and something told him it wouldn't be the last.

"You did good, Queen," she told him, touching his shoulder in thanks.

"Well, I know how impossible you get without it, so I decided not to risk it," he teased.

"How thoughtful," she responded, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Should we go into the conference room now?"

He looked at his phone, nodding his head. Lifting the important files from her desk, she held them tight against her chest. Oliver held the door open for her, going into the conference room and taking his seat at the head of the table. Felicity sat next to him, mind racing as she tried to calm herself down. Important meetings always made her nervous.

Hopefully, all the talking would be done without her involvement. When Oliver had promoted her, he had started bringing her into the board meetings. Her presence was never really necessary, though he would occasionally ask her to give insight on something in particular. Mostly, she just sat quietly, taking notes on one of her many notepads. A lot of the time, it was Walter who ran the meetings. Unfortunately, he was unavailable this morning.

Glancing around the room, she saw that there were no other seats available. Everyone was facing Oliver, waiting for him to officially start the meeting. Felicity cleared her throat, focusing her attention on him as well. Arising from his chair, he had taken on a certain stoic stance. From this point of view, he looked like a king.

"Just so everyone is on the same page, the purpose of this meeting is to discuss budget cuts for this merger," he started, fingertips pushing against the wooden table. "Obviously, this is going to involve a lot of math, which I know is not a skill most of us acquire in this room."

A few people chuckled at that, voicing their agreement. Oliver waited for the room to be silent again before continuing.

"This is why the company has been receiving professional help from the smartest woman I know. She just so happens to be sitting next to me," Oliver said, gesturing towards Felicity. "Can I get a round of applause for my partner, Felicity Smoak?"

The room filled with their clapping, Felicity's face red with embarrassment. She looked up at Oliver, seeing him clapping just like the rest of them. Something inside of her churned, and she felt her stomach tighten. The nod of approval Oliver sent her way caused her skin to warm. The pride he held for her at that moment was something she never wanted to let go of.

"Now, onto other matters," he continued, the clapping dying down. "Let's discuss which companies we should switch to that will better appease our budget."

"I was thinking we switch our paper company," a tall man in the back suggested. "Everything is done mostly through computers anyways. It's a little ridiculous to be spending as much as we are on paper right now."

Felicity had recognized him from other meetings, though this was the first time he had spoken. She knew he didn't work for Queen Consolidated. He must have worked for Palmer Technologies. There was something about him that just stood out. He had an attitude about him that screamed importance. Though they had never spoken directly, Felicity had a feeling that she knew him. Well, not who he was, but more of who he wasn't. There was an innocence to him that separated him from the rest of the people in the room.

"Good idea, Ray," Oliver replied, making note of something on his paper.

Felicity's brain stopped for a moment. She would never have expected that quiet man in the back to be the owner of Palmer Technologies. He didn't seem like he could handle it. He was lacking the confidence needed to run a business. Yet somehow, he was just as important as Oliver.

Felicity hadn't realized she was still looking at Ray until his eyes locked with hers. He smiled, and she looked away quickly. She didn't look behind her once the rest of the meeting.

* * *

"Well, that went better than I expected," Oliver said, following Felicity into her office. "What did you think?"

"It was great. You do a really good job speaking," she complimented, earning a small smile from him.

"You know, I meant what I said about you being the smartest woman I know."

"You're just lucky I'm not holding a grudge for making me the center of attention in there," she joked.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled, crossing his arms. "I just wanted you to get the recognition you deserve. I know I don't say it enough, but you are an important part of this company. I couldn't imagine ever losing you."

"Luckily, you won't have to," she told him, flushing at his words. "Also, you don't have to remind me of my impact on this company. You're not just my boss; you're my best friend."

"Best friends compliment each other, Felicity," he said, stepping forward. "For example, you are _ridiculously_ good at sex."

"Oliver," she warned, her body already heating. "We're supposed to be professional at work."

"Felicity, this whole floor is ours," he pointed out, his body almost touching hers.

"Someone could come in at any moment."

"I'll risk it," he murmured, closing the space between them by swooping in with a kiss.

Her hand gripped his tie, yanking him towards her. He was relentless with her, sucking her bottom lip between his teeth and digging his nails into her lower back. She hopped onto the desk, allowing him to take his place between her legs. Leaning back, she brought his body forward with her. His lips were searing a hole into her, each swipe of his tongue enough to have her tugging on his hair.

Just then, the ping from the elevators chimed, and Felicity shoved Oliver off of her. He backed away, facing the wall, running his hands over his face in an effort to calm himself. Felicity stood up, straightening out her skirt. When the elevator door opened, she was surprised to see Ray getting off. He was by himself, a smile coming to his face when he saw her.

She stood there, wondering why he had come up here. Then it occurred to her that he was probably here to see Oliver, and she was getting way ahead of herself. He entered her office, eyes landing on Oliver.

"Hey, is this a bad time?" he asked, glancing between the two of them.

"No, what is it?" Oliver responded, suddenly all professional again.

"Uh, I'm actually here to see Felicity," Ray admitted, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Me?" Felicity sputtered. "Wh- Why... exactly?"

Ray stayed quiet, looking at Oliver for a second. Oliver cleared his throat, catching on. He ran a hand over his suit, lifting his head.

"I have some work I need to take care of," he announced, leaving her office and stepping into his.

Ray watched him, turning around to face Felicity with a nervous laugh.

"He can still see us," he murmured, tilting his head to where Oliver now sat behind his desk, pretending to be looking at his computer screen.

"Yeah, I need to find out what genius thought to put glass walls in here," she returned, smiling when he laughed. "Don't worry; he can't hear us. After working here for five years, it's one of the many things I've learned."

"Five years? You must have graduated early."

"Yeah, but I don't really like to brag."

"Modesty," Ray observed, nodding his head. "I knew there was something I liked about you."

She flushed at his words, crossing her arm over her chest and looking down.

"I'm sorry, but what is it exactly that you needed to talk to me about?"

"Oh, right. I just wanted to officially introduce myself. I'm Ray Palmer."

"Felicity Smoak."

"Felicity," he repeated. "That's a beautiful name."

"Is it?" she questioned, laughing out of embarrassment.

"It is," he confirmed. "I'm really looking forward to us working together, Felicity."

"Thanks. I am, too."

"Great," he smiled. "I can stop by tomorrow, if that's OK with you."

"Yeah, sure," she agreed. "It's not too often that I get visitors up here."

"You do share a glass wall with the most intimidating man here."

"Well, don't tell him I told you this, but he's actually not that intimidating."

"Thanks for the heads up," Ray chuckled. "I've got to get going now, but it's been a pleasure talking to you. I'll be back tomorrow."

"OK," she smiled, watching him leave.

Only when Ray was in the elevator with the doors closed, did Oliver go back into Felicity's office. He had a hard look on his face, and she wondered if something had gone wrong with the paperwork.

"I didn't know you knew Palmer," he said, attempting to be subtle.

"I don't. At least, not until this morning at the meeting. You said his name a few times. That was my first time speaking to him."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing important," she shrugged, shuffling some papers.

"It didn't seem that way when he practically asked me to leave the room."

His anger was very obvious to her now, making her a little frustrated as well. Oliver had told her on more than one occasion that he had a dislike for Ray. It was always just a rival thing since two people who were so used to being in charge would need to learn to work together. She understood that Ray's conversation with her would have him curious, but this was a little more than just that.

"He just wanted to introduce himself to me. He said he'd be stopping by tomorrow as well, though I have no idea what for."

"Well, find out and let me know."

He turned around, attempting to walk away before her voice stopped him.

"Do you want to know because you're my boss, or because we're sleeping together?" she asked, letting out a small breath of annoyance.

He turned back around. "Neither. I'm asking because you're my best friend." There was an actual flicker of pain in his eyes, and she immediately felt guilty. "We're best friends before work and sleeping together. I thought we were both clear on that."

"Of course we are," she sighed, stepping forward so that she was touching his arm. "I guess I'm a little tense is all. I'm not used to talking to the head of a multi-million dollar company."

"Funny," he remarked, shaking his head at her laughter. "How is your work load for today?"

"Not as bad as I thought it would be," she answered, loving how easy it was for them to get past things. "I might even be able to finish most of it before I leave here tonight. You?"

"The same. At least it's not as bad yet."

"Oh, just you wait."

He smiled, tapping her desk with his fingers. "So, are we still on for dinner at your house tonight?"

"Depending on what time I get out of here, I'd say yes."

"OK, well I'll let you get back to work. Hopefully we finish early enough for dinner. If not, I'm sure there'll still time for _other_ things."

Her eyes glinted at him, making him grin. "I'm going to hold you to that, Mr. Queen."

* * *

Oliver sat down on Felicity's floor, legs crossed at the ankle. She sat across from him, the book that had been deciding their evenings for the past few days in her lap. The room was quiet as Oliver waited for Felicity to say something. Suddenly, her face lit up.

"OK, what about tip #37?" she suggested, making him straighten.

"What does it say?"

"It says we play a game."

"A game?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "The example says Strip Poker, but since I don't have any poker chips or a deck of cards, I was thinking we could play a board game instead."

"Which board game?" he hesitantly asked, watching her strut over to her linen closet and pull down a box from one of the upper shelves. "Monopoly? You want us to play Strip Monopoly?"

"Why not?" she questioned, hearing his reluctance towards her idea.

"Because I wouldn't even know how to play."

"Well, how about instead of paying a fine every time you land on someone's property, you remove a piece of clothing. I know it could take a while, but the anticipation is the best part, right?"

She got him to cave. He nodded, grinning at the smile that took over her face. Her hands lifted the top off the box, splaying the board out onto the carpet. He tried helping her set it up, but she was doing much better without him getting in the way. When all the pieces were set up, she gave him a gleeful smile.

"Want to be the banker?" she asked, holding up a stack of fake bills.

He shook his head. "Something tells me you'll do much better with the money."

"You're right. What was I thinking?" she sighed, giving him a teasing grin. "You can be the Realtor."

He nodded, taking the stack of property cards from the box. He began to sort them into groups by the strip of color at the top of each card while she set up the money. She handed over their starting amount, tucking hers underneath her thigh. A small smile passed his lips, recalling the last time he had played with her and she had done that. Granted, they were with plenty more people, but he still noticed. It didn't take long before they were fighting over who got to go first.

"Fine, you go," Oliver conceded, just wanting to get to the fun part already.

She grabbed the dice, not giving him a chance to change his mind. They rolled across the carpet, landing with a four and a six facing up. Felicity cheered, moving her character piece ten spaces forward. Oliver retrieved the dice back, rolling them quickly. He got a three and a one. Felicity's cocky smile was hard to miss, and he scowled at her.

"You know you can't buy properties until you've gone around the board at least once, right?" she questioned, taking the dice back.

"Can't we speed things along here?" he pleaded.

"What's the matter, Queen? You got somewhere to be?" she smirked, letting the dice scatter.

"Yes, buried inside of you," he growled, just loud enough for her to hear it.

She let out a gasp, blushing bright red at his words. He smiled kindly at her, getting back the dice and acting as though he hadn't said it at all. The affect those words had on her gave him the strength to keep playing by all these dumb rules. Maybe if he could tease her enough, she'd let them put the game away and get to the exciting part.

It took seven roles later before the first property was bought. It was, of course, bought by Felicity, who rubbed it in Oliver's face as he handed over the correct card. She put the card under her thigh as well, clapping her hands together. Since she had rolled doubles, it was her turn to roll again. She got a six and a five, buying the next property she had landed on without hesitation.

"Hand it over, Queen," she instructed, watching him grumpily hand her the card.

"Shouldn't it matter where on the board the property is?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like shouldn't landing on a purple property mean the removal of a sock or something, as opposed to a blue space where it would require the removal of a shirt?"

"Clothes are clothes, Queen," she chuckled, dismissing his idea. "Don't be mad because I'll still be wearing all my clothes by the time you're naked."

He shook his head, taking his turn. After four roles, he was buying his first property. He had gloated just as she had, to which she quickly shut him up with the purchase of two more properties. By the time the first removal of clothing was needed, Oliver had owned five properties while Felicity owned eight. It was, of course, Oliver who needed to remove something.

"So, what'll it be?" Felicity joked, enjoying this way too much.

"Relax, it's just a sock," he replied, smirking at her frown.

"Now who's taking it slow?"

"Well, we'll see what you decide to take of when it's your turn."

She didn't say anything in response, and he realized that he shouldn't be happy about her undressing just as slow as he was. He watched her roll the dice, shouting in joy when she landed on his property. She rolled her eyes at his grin, letting out a sigh.

"So, what'll it be, Smoak?" he taunted, throwing her words back in her face. "A sock? Or maybe your glass-"

He shut up when she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it off to the side. His jaw dropped, mind drawn to a blank.

"There," she huffed, picking up the dice.

"Whoa... That's- That's not fair," he stuttered, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You- You're cheating, Felicity."

"How am I cheating?" she asked, trying to hand the dice over to him.

"Because you know I won't be able to concentrate with you sitting across from me shirtless," he pointed out, sounding betrayed. "I'll never have the upper-hand in this game, will I?"

"Nope," she said, her cockiness fueling his determination to last until the end of the game.

After that, his luck had turned around. He had bought more properties, though she still had the majority. The following times where she had landed on his property, she was kind enough to remove her socks, as well as her glasses. He had landed on her property a couple more times so that he now sat in front of her sock-less and pant-less.

"Felicity, we've been playing this for an hour," he informed her. "Don't you think we've played long enough?"

"Are you saying you want to quit tip #37?" she asked, feigning horror. "But we've come so far."

"Well, I'm almost positive that if you take off one more thing, I'm going to be inside of you faster than you can blink," he said, making her swallow heavily.

"I'm sorry, Oliver, but you're not coming near me until one of us is naked," she managed, unable to meet his eyes. "Rules are rules."

He bit back his frustration, roughly rolling the dice. He landed on an unclaimed property, and practically threw his money at Felicity. She smiled slightly at his anger, and he just knew she was loving every moment of this. She took her turn, getting an eight and a three. As her piece made it's final stop, her eyes shot up to meet his.

She had landed on one of his properties.

There was a glint of amusement in her eyes as she stood up, unbuttoning her pants and dragging the zipper down. She shimmied out of them, being torturous with him. His jaw was locked, pupils fully dilated. When she sat back down, he was practically panting. He took back the dice, rolling and landing on one of her properties this time.

His hands pulled up the fabric of his shirt, leaving him in only his boxer shorts. Now, she was the one with the hanging jaw. She was sitting on her hands, and he knew she was fighting the urge to touch him. He smirked, leaning back so that she had a clearer view of his body. A pinkness fell over her cheeks, and he could only imagine what thoughts were running through her head.

"I believe it's your turn," he told her, the smug look on his face permanent.

He saw her reach for the dice, shocked when she launched herself at him. Her lips attacked his, nearly bruising him with the force and eagerness she was kissing him with. His hands cupped her face as he threw her legs around his waist. She sat so deliciously in his lap, the dampness in her panties pressing warmly into the end of his abs. His hands buried themselves into her hair, kissing her until his lips were numb and he could finally think straight.

"Felicity," he breathed, pulling away from her. "What about the rules?"

He knew it was a stupid thing to ask, especially since he had wanted her to forget those stupid rules and just jump his bones already, but that cocky part of himself needed to hear her say it.

"Screw the rules," she muttered, kissing him again.

Before he could protest, she was slipping her hand into his boxers and stroking him perfectly. Somehow, she had figured out how to move exactly the right way ate exactly the right moment. It was so accurate, he wasn't sure if he was going to make it. Her hand twisted against him again, and he had to stop her to maintain himself.

"You got way too good at that," he said, voice dark and deep. "I'm not going to be able to last long, so this is going to be quick, OK?"

She nodded, so he leaned forward, bringing her back against the Monopoly board. He removed her panties, surprised he had the power not to rip them off as he seemed to be in the habit of doing. He slipped out of his boxers, and was inside of her in one quick thrust. She moaned, loud and high in his ear. He grit his teeth, thrusting forward roughly.

He held nothing back. His hips thrust repeatedly into hers, feeling himself so close to letting go. She cried into his ear, telling him how good he felt. There were other little demands she managed to get out. She wanted it harder. She wanted it faster.

He would obey.

His fingers sank into the skin on either sides of her thighs, her legs locking him into place inside of her. Her nails were clawing at his back, her head drawn back in one last attempt to hang on. His nip at the base of her throat was all that she needed to let go, screaming his name as she did. He came a second later, filling her and marveling in the sensation.

In that moment, something foreign and unusual passed through him. He frowned, choosing not to dwell on it.

When he pulled out of her, he still couldn't catch his breath. She seemed to be off in another place, one hand running through her hair. He glanced around, noticing the money that had flown across various places in the room. He put back on his boxers, the only sound in the room their heavy breathing. When someone finally did speak, it was her.

"Did we really just fuck on a Monopoly game board?" she asked, and he threw his head back in a laugh.

"We did," he confirmed, picking up a stray card. "I think it's safe to say I'll never be able to play this game again without getting turned on."

She laughed, sitting up. There were tiny houses stuck to her back, and he picked them off for her. She smiled in thanks, dressing quietly. He began cleaning up their mess, saying nothing as she went to the bathroom. She came back and everything had been put away, him fully dressed again.

"Thank you," she said, gesturing towards her linens closet. "You staying the night?"

"It's not too late," he observed, checking the clock that was near her couch. "I could still head home."

"Oh, OK," she nodded, looking down.

"Unless you want me to stay..."

"No," she denied, shaking her head. "It's fine. Go home. You have a ton of meetings tomorrow. You need your rest."

"Yeah, don't remind me" he sighed, walking towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Felicity."

"See you tomorrow," she smiled, opening her door and watching him leave.


	6. Chapter Five

Felicity had been at work for three hours so far. Her and Oliver had been doing more socializing than work, and she had to physically push him out of her office before he would leave her alone. There were three files she needed to get through for the day, and she hadn't even made it half way through the first one. To say Oliver was a distraction would be an understatement.

After she had made it through her second file, Oliver came waltzing back in, a smile plastered onto his face. His eyes were bright, and she wondered how he still looked so happy to see her after they had spent so much of their day together already.

"You get any work done?" he asked, coming up from behind her to stare at her work.

She shut the file quickly, fighting back a grin. "With you leaving me alone? I've pretty much finished all my work for the week. It's amazing how much I can get done when you're not distracting me, Mr. Queen."

He sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth, and she looked up at him with raised eyebrows. His head swooped low to give her a kiss, and she moaned when his tongue shot into her mouth. She leaned back in her chair, arms securing around his neck to bring him with her. He let out a primal noise, cupping her cheeks and kissing her harder.

"You sure you want to do this here?" he growled, brushing one thumb across her cheek and over her bottom lip.

"What exactly are you talking about?" she asked, trying to focus her fuzzy mind.

"You need me to show you?" he breathed, his eyes darkening in a way that told her he was serious.

As much as she wanted him to show her exactly what he had in mind, she knew it was a bad idea. There were certain lines that shouldn't be crossed at work. She had morals, and she stuck to them for the most part. Also, she knew that if she were to sleep with Oliver at work, it would be all she would think about whenever she was there.

And the last thing she needed was to be distracted at this place.

"How about you just show me later tonight?" she offered, running a finger down his firm chest.

"Then I suggest you stop with the teasing," he murmured, catching her hand in his once her fingers began to move over his belt. "Or I will take you on your desk, Ms. Smoak."

She let out a breath, nearly melting at the idea. It sounded so good. She was tempted to nod her head and let him do just that. He seemed to sense her want for him, staring down at her with a gleam in his eyes. There was an inner debate before she came to her senses. Turning away, she pulled away from his grasp. She needed him gone. He was fogging up her brain again.

"Would you mind fetching me a cup of coffee?" she asked, beginning to type some nonsense into her computer.

"Yeah," he nodded, chuckling to himself in a smug manner. "The usual?"

"Yes, please."

He smiled at her, walking towards the elevators. It only took six minutes for that elevator to open again, revealing a very cheery looking Ray. He made his way into her office, beaming from head to toe. She smiled at him, standing up from her chair.

"Hey," she greeted, moving around her desk.

"Hey," he smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. "Is now a good time?"

"Yeah, of course it is."

"Good," he said, grinning a little wider. "Where's Oliver?"

She swore her face flushed at the mere mention of his name and what she had almost let him do to her on her desk. Shaking her head, she let a secret smile filter across her face.

"He's fetching me a cup of coffee."

"Oliver Queen is getting someone a coffee instead of being given one? How did you manage that?"

"I asked _really_ nicely," she explained, hanging her head in a private laugh.

Ray chuckled unknowingly, eyes scanning over her. "I think you could get any man to do whatever you'd like if you asked nice enough."

Her cheeks reddened, eyes suddenly drawn to the ground. That compliment had caught her off guard.

"You blush easily," he observed, an affectionate smile on his face.

"I do," she agreed, flushing yet again.

"I like it. It's cute."

She looked up at him, not knowing what to say. He was so obviously hitting on her. She wasn't used to such forwardness.

"So, should we discuss last week's numbers?" she asked, deciding work was a safe topic.

"Yeah, we should. Are you OK with taking an early lunch? It will be a lot easier for both of us to do this over food."

"Sure," she said, grabbing a sticky note. "Let me just tell Oliver where I'll be."

She scribbled a short message of where she would be and who she would be with onto the small piece of paper. Dropping it off on his desk, she suddenly felt guilty. She reminded herself that she wasn't doing anything wrong, and pushed that feeling to the back of her mind.

* * *

Oliver got into his car, still grinning from his earlier interactions with Felicity. It was very clear that her requested cup of coffee was an excuse to prevent herself from bringing their private life into their work one. If he were being honest, he liked the chance to get outside and clear his head. Being with her was confusing him recently, though he would deny it if anyone asked.

When he pulled up in front of what he knew to be her favorite coffee shop, he shook his head at the long line that stretched around the place. It was a fairly popular coffee place, and nearly everyone who worked around this area stopped by for a cup. If it were anyone else, he would have already gotten back into his car and picked up some coffee from a gas station.

But no, it was Felicity. He would wait.

Surprisingly, the line moved rather quickly. He was only there ten minutes before his order was taken and he was ushered to the side to await his coffee. As he glanced around, someone caught his eye. He did a double-take, furrowing his brows when he realized his eyes had been correct. In the far corner of the coffee shop stood Tommy, trying to look interested in his coffee holder.

Oliver strode over, approaching him in no more than five steps. Tommy's head snapped up, his hands moving to hide in his pockets.

"Tommy? What are you doing here?"

Tommy swallowed, face blanking as he faked a smile. "Oliver, hey! I'm just here for some coffee."

"Yeah, I get that," Oliver remarked, shaking his head at his friend's weirdness. "Are you here alone?"

Tommy glanced around, knitting his brows together. "Uh, I'm actually waiting for a friend."

"Oh cool," Oliver nodded. "Anyone I know?"

"You? I - no, you don't, uh, know them," Tommy sputtered. "What are you doing here?"

"Felicity sent me to bring her some coffee."

"Felicity, huh?" Tommy questioned, showing Oliver signs of his real friend again.

"Yes, Felicity."

"So, you guys have any more encounters? Of the sexual sort, I mean," he clarified.

Oliver tilted his head to the side, deciding that it was time. If he didn't tell Tommy now, he never would. Plus, Felicity had told him it was alright. Letting out a breath, he let a smile shadow across his lips.

"Actually, I kind of took you up on your advice," Oliver admitted. "Felicity and I have pursued a beneficial friendship."

Tommy's reaction was not one Oliver was expecting. He just nodded, giving his friend a smile.

"Good for you, man. Tell me how it goes."

Before Oliver could speak another word, his order number was being called out. He said his goodbyes to Tommy, picking up the coffee and leaving. He would have to tell Felicity about Tommy's weirdness later.

* * *

Ray and Felicity carried on in silence, the restaurant he took her to within walking distance from Queen Consolidated. They stuck to appetizers and managed to keep their conversation strictly on work. It wasn't until they were walking back that he changed the topic to something more personal.

"I'm sure you've noticed my not so subtle flirting," he chuckled, making her rub her hands together awkwardly.

"Yeah," she nodded, licking her lips as she stared at the fray of traffic. "It's fine though."

"Is it?"

He gave her a look that made her shiver despite the blaring sun on her shoulders. She asked herself the same question. Was it OK for Ray to be flirting with her?

"Um..."

"See? I've made things weird again," he muttered, exhaling loudly. "I just - I'd like us to be more than coworkers. I'd like us to try something out - a date. What do you say?"

"Are you asking me out?"

"Well, I'm trying to."

"Ray-"

"But you don't think that's a good idea," he guessed, frowning. "I knew it was a long shot."

"I'm sorry. I just don't think I know you well enough for me to go out to dinner with you," she apologized, knowing how embarrassed he must feel at the moment.

"Does that mean that you still want to get to know me? I mean, I really like getting to know you."

"I wouldn't mind that," she smiled, him reflecting it. "Let's just stick to speaking at work. We'll work our way into other stuff."

"I'll take what I can get," he grinned, opening the door to Queen Consolidated for them. "Would you like me to walk you to your desk?"

"No, I can make it myself. Thank you though."

"Of course."

They walked into the elevator, Ray pushing their buttons for them. They rode up in silence, him getting off before her. As soon as those elevator doors opened on her floor, she was heading back towards her desk. She had gone over her given amount of time for lunch, and her and Ray had discussed a lot of things work-wise that she should have written down.

Her desk was just as she had left it, and she quickly took out the folder that held all of her notes. There was a shuffling noise from the door to her office, and she looked up to find Oliver standing there, eyebrows furrowed.

"Hey," she smiled, setting her papers down. "Did you get my note?"

"Yeah, I saw it," he replied, and she sensed something was off.

"What is it?"

"What?"

"You... There's something off. Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I'm just... Never mind. Let's just forget it."

"No, tell me," she urged, growing concerned.

"You went out with Palmer," he said, more of a statement than a question.

"I did," she confirmed. "He wanted to go over the numbers from last week."

There was a nod before his eyebrows were raised. "OK."

He had no emotion in his tone. She had no idea how to react. Something inside of her told her to be as clear as she could. She followed that instinct.

"Oliver, nothing happened. Ray took me out for lunch to discuss the numbers from last week's Applied Sciences Division for Queen Consolidated and Palmer Technologies."

"Felicity, I believe you," he promised, crossing his arms.

She let out a sigh of relief. Worry had struck her at the thought of him being angry with her. Oliver being upset with her was the last thing she wanted, and she would do anything to avoid it.

"Thank you," she whispered, and he came up to cup her face.

"You don't ever have to worry about me not believing you," he assured her, forcing her to look at him. "And you know you can tell me anything."

"I know," she smiled, leaning into his touch. "I'm just a little out of my depth here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Ray did ask me out. I told him no, but I have a feeling he isn't going to accept it easily."

She felt his palms close in on her face a little harder, his teeth gritting in a subtle way. His eyelids shut, and he shook his head a couple times as if to empty out the unwanted thoughts. His voice was more even and steady than she would have thought it would be when he spoke his next words.

"If he does anything to you that you don't want-"

"Yes, I'll let you kick his ass," she chuckled, smacking his chest playfully. "You're so protective of me, Oliver."

"Don't expect that to change," he smirked, pulling her in for a hug.

She breathed him in, reveling in the familiar scent of his cologne. The fabric of his suit was so soft against her cheek. As her eyes closed, she felt a sense of comfort wash over her. When his arms wrapped around her back, she knew he had felt it, too. His chin rested on her head, and she imagined his eyes were closed as well by the light exhale he let out.

"What time should I come over tonight?" he asked, the question carrying so much more meaning to her than it should have.

"As soon as you can," she instructed, feeling his head nod in understanding against her ear.

After a few seconds, he pulled away, giving her one of his rare smiles. She returned it, knowing there was a light sheen of red on her cheeks.

"I'll let you get back to work."

"OK," she said, watching him back away. "And I assume you'll be working as well?"

"Of course," he replied, smiling innocently.

"You better, Mr. Queen," she purposefully returned, watching his eyes darken. "Sorry."

He just hummed, accepting her apology with a tilt of his head. It was not the best idea for her to start teasing him when things between them were so heated at the moment. She focused on her computer screen, beginning to work on those files again. No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop thinking of what Oliver would be doing to her in just a few hours.

For some reason, her eyes traveled over to the right corner of her desk, finding the cup of coffee he had left to get her. Grinning, she picked up the cup and took a long sip. It was cold, but she didn't even notice. Swiveling slightly so that she was facing him, she saw that he was already looking her way. He just smirked, nodding his head to her in recognition.

Oh, how she could not wait for tonight.

* * *

Oliver and Felicity ended up working later than they had expected to. Walter had stopped by to drop off more paperwork, wearing an apologetic smile and assuring them this was the last of it. Although Oliver had wanted to call it a night and just head back to Felicity's, she had convinced him to at least make a decent size dent in the load.

By the time they left the office, it was dark out. They drove in separate cars, arriving at her apartment at the same time. She stepped out of her car, locking the doors and approaching him. He smiled at her while he waited for her to catch up, and a silent thrill shot up her spine.

"You know, I've been looking forward to this moment all day," he admitted, following her to the elevators.

"Hopefully it's worth the wait," she responded, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Oh, I know it will be."

His voice had lowered considerably, and she fought to keep her cool as they entered the elevator. Almost as if he knew she wouldn't have made it if he had touched her, he kept his hands to himself. She was so on edge, she was beginning to think anything would set her off. However, she didn't want to seem desperate. That might as well be the official handing of her pride over to Oliver.

The elevator ride seemed to take longer than usual, and she nearly ran out to avoid him touching her on their way to her door. She fumbled with her keys, managing to unlock her door before he could slip in from behind her, something she knew he would most definitely do. Her fingers held the door open for him, letting go once he had stepped inside. He locked the door, her going into her kitchen.

"Want something to drink?" she offered, sifting through her cupboards for wineglasses.

"Sure," he agreed, taking a seat on one of the bar stools.

She felt her skin heat up as he watched her, turning her back to him so he wouldn't see. She was clumsy while pouring the wine, but luckily didn't spill anything. When she handed him his glass, he tilted his head in thanks. She smiled, deciding to remain in the kitchen. The wine felt sticky as it went down her throat, and she started to rethink serving it.

"Is it alright if I stay here tonight?" he asked, setting his glass down. "I just don't feel right about driving home so late."

"Oliver, you don't need to ask," she reminded him, hiding the rush joy that him spending the night had suddenly brought her.

"Thank you."

Her eyes watched him take a drink of the wine, lingering on the way his hands held the glass. Those hands had been on her, and now they were on her wineglass. She knew which place she wanted them to be at right now.

"I forgot to mention, I ran into Tommy earlier at the coffee shop," Oliver started.

"Really? What was he doing there?"

"He said he was waiting on someone. When he saw me he got... weird," Oliver recalled, tilting his head to the side. "He asked me again... about us."

"What did you tell him?" she asked, wanting to hear his response.

He shrugged. "I told him the truth. I didn't feel right lying about it anymore. He didn't really care."

She wanted to ask him what his exact words were, but was afraid of drawing suspicion. So instead, she nodded her head, sipping on the cold wine. Her eyes glanced over at Oliver, watching as his fingers traced along the rim of the glass.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, taking her by surprise.

"What?"

"Earlier today, I was kind of being a jerk about Palmer," he explained, and she inwardly rolled her eyes.

Ray was the last thing she wanted to be talking about right now.

"You weren't a jerk, Oliver. It's your job as my best friend to ask me questions about my love life," she said, watching a smile creep onto his lips. "But I don't want to talk about your job as my best friend right now."

That seemed to peek his interest. His eyebrows raised, and he set the wineglass down. She did the same, stepping out of the kitchen and stopping a couple feet away from him. His eyes had darkened before suddenly obtaining that humorous glint they always got when he was about to tease her.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more clearer on what it is you mean, Ms. Smoak," he told her, sending the blood in her veins rushing.

"How much clearer do I need to be, Mr. Queen?" she prompted, watching the glint disappear to be replaced with the darkness again.

"I need to know exactly what it is that you intend for me to do to you."

She fought hard to keep in the noise of want that threatened to escape. Why did everything he say have to sound so hot? Her eyes caught sight of that book that had brought them into this whole thing, and she figured out what their next tip would be.

"Are you inviting me to indulge in tip #12 with you, Mr. Queen?" she prodded, earning a raised brow from him. "What?"

"Did you memorize the book?"

She could see him fighting back the urge to laugh at her. "No! I just so happened to remember that specific one. I'm not going to lie, it caught my eye."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to look and see what this tip is for myself."

Turning around, he spotted the book. He took it in his hands, opening the cover and searching for the correct page. Once he found it, the ends of his lips curved upward, making her body heat up. He shut the book, setting it back where he had found it.

"Oh, I am definitely interested, Ms. Smoak," he confirmed, standing up. "It'll be a first for me."

That broke her out of this spell he had put her in. She was in shock, and he could tell instantly.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm serious."

"Oliver, this is one that seriously everyone has done. Most of the time it's accidental. It just comes out."

"So I'm guessing you've done it," he assumed, and she didn't think he really wanted to know.

"Dirty talk? Yeah, I've done it before."

"So teach me."

"It's not that hard - _difficult_ ," she quickly amended, glaring at him so that he wouldn't laugh. "You just tell the other person exactly what you want them to do to you."

"OK," he nodded, wiping his hands on the back of his slacks. "You go first."

Suddenly under the spot light, she was reluctant about speaking. She had never said something dirty to someone she knew she was going to see again. It was something used for one night stands, and Oliver Queen was not one of those. He eyed her, waiting for her to speak. Her mouth opened, but quickly shut.

"This is way more awkward for me than it should be," she admitted, causing him to let out a chuckle. "This is something you do during the sex."

"I think we can manage that," he said, pulling her flush against him and crashing his lips onto hers.

As her body hit his chest, she was quick to wrap her arms around his neck. She could feel the grin on his face as he kissed her, and she wondered if he could feel hers. His tongue slipped through her lips, making her head tilt upwards so that he could kiss her deeper. His taste and smell were intoxicating. She wanted to feel him everywhere. Her body was aching for him, and she was tempted to just get to the sex part and forget about the book.

His hand trailed down her arms, fingers lightly grazing her soft skin. They landed just on the outskirts of her shirt, and she felt them slide under the fabric only to make contact with her warm skin. She found herself tugging on his tie, sliding his suit jacket off his shoulders and onto the floor. He kissed her neck as she undressed him, and she had to clamp her legs together to keep control.

"You're not talking," he murmured into her ear, just before sucking on the spot right below it.

Right! The dirty talk! Had she forgotten it that quickly? His thumbs massaged circles into her hips, making her hum. OK, so the answer was yes. How could she not with _him_ doing _that_?

"I'm suddenly at a loss for words," she sputtered, struggling to undo the tiny buttons that littered his dress shirt.

"You can say anything you want," he whispered into her neck, making her struggle to ward off the chills that attempted to run along her spine.

She could do this. It didn't have to be anything too crazy. She could start off small and work her way into the dirtier stuff.

She took a hold of his loose tie, feeling his eyes on her as he moved his head back. "Oliver," she began, maintaining eye contact with him. "I want you to take me into my room, and then I want you to kiss me."

His lips parted slightly before lifting her into the air, and carrying her into her room. She raised the tie over his head after her legs had reflexively wrapped around his waist. His body was so hard, she found it weird how comfortable she felt pressed against it. Because she couldn't get enough of his taste, she sucked a trail from the start of his jaw to the end of his shoulder.

"Do you want me to put you down?" he asked, once his knees were touching the end of the mattress.

His voice was so deep and dark. It gave her chills. Instead of answering him, she tugged his arms upwards, making him release his hold on her upper thighs. Her feet hit the ground, and she looked up at him expectantly.

"Well," she urged, awaiting the sweet brush of his lips. "I told you to kiss me, didn't I?"

"You did," he agreed, the ends up his lips twitching upwards. "But you didn't tell me where."

Her breath caught, and thoughts of Oliver kissing her in the most private of places swarmed her mind. An image of him kneeling before her parted thighs had her fingers curling around his now wrinkled shirt. He seemed to have read her mind, because he was now smirking at her.

"Why don't you start at my mouth, and I'll tell you when you're getting warmer," she suggested, making him nod in an understanding way.

There was a possessive look in his eyes as he backed her onto the bed. She scooted upwards until her feet were no longer dangling off the edge. Leaning back onto the pillows, she watched as he hovered above her, one knee between her legs.

His finger caught her chin, planting his lips onto hers. He kissed her quickly and expertly, tongue exploring her mouth in the most thorough of ways. When he pulled back, though he had kissed all her lipstick away, her lips remained red.

"Cold," she said, watching his eyebrows raise playfully at her.

Tilting her head so that her left cheek was against her pillow, he sucked and nipped his way down her neck. She moaned softly when he sucked on the spot right above her collar bone, making him bite down in an arousing way.

"Now?" he prompted, breath giving her chills as it passed over her wet skin.

"Warmer," she breathed.

The lower he moved down her body, the more excited she got. He sat up on his knees, and she realized she was still fully dressed. His warm hands slipped under the fabric of her shirt, pressing flat against her stomach before coming back out.

"Take it off," he ordered, undoing the last few buttons of his shirt to remove it as well.

Desire struck her hard at the sight of his upper body. He was sculpted so perfectly. Sitting up, she lifted her shirt over her head. It landed somewhere off to the side, them not caring enough to look. Reaching behind her, she undid the clasp of her black lace bra. Then, since she was already up, she began to tug down the zipper of her skirt. His hand darted forward to stop her, and she gave him a confused look.

"I'll take care of that when I'm ready," he murmured, just adding more to that pool of want for him she was currently filled with.

Leaning down, his arms came to bracket her sides. His abdomen was between her legs, and she was tempted to lock them around him. Forcing them to remain flat on the bed, she focused on the small bursts of pleasure him brushing against her center brought her.

When his mouth enclosed around her right nipple, her response was immediate. Arching her back, she let out a moan of pleasure. His fingers hid under her back, while his thumb held down her chest. Using his other hand, he worked her left breast.

How was it that he always knew exactly what he doing? Just when she thought she was getting a grip, his mouth transferred over to her other breast. His tongue swirled around her in a mixture of clockwise and counterclockwise motions.

"Warmer," she managed, silently urging him to just pay attention to the part of her they both knew she wanted him at.

"Sounds like you're getting a little eager, Ms. Smoak," he chuckled, his stubble scratching against her so that she had to bite her lip to keep in her moan.

"Don't worry. Your turn will come, Mr. Queen."

His eyes met hers. "Is that a threat?"

"It's more of a promise actually," she corrected, grinning.

He grinned back, sliding his hands down until they were at her waist. It took him no time at all to find her zipper, and even less to pull it down. He freed it from under her, dropping it onto her floor in a heap. The anticipation was nearly killing her, and she was sure he knew it. His lips skimmed over her navel, lowering down until her eyes were fluttering closed.

"You're on fire," she whispered, right before he could reach his destination.

When she did feel his lips again, they were pressing lightly into her left calve. Her eyes opened, and she swore she might kill him. There was his damn smirk again, right against her lower leg.

"Colder," she grit, trying to maintain her anger.

"Excuse me?" he said, his smugness sickening.

"Just you wait, Oliver. I'm going to-"

Her words caught in her throat as his mouth clamped over her center. Immediately, her hand shot out to grip his hair, tugging on it even though it wasn't that long. He licked her, tongue extending forward in long strides. She lost count of how many times she said his name, but it seemed to be the only word she knew at the moment.

"Tell me," he huffed, tongue tracing what felt like his name into her.

"Tell you what?"

Her voice was shaky and uneven, and she believed that if she opened her eyes, she'd find herself floating on a cloud.

"Tell me how it feels."

She felt the presence of his fingers spreading her open, making her head thrash from the intense pleasure. His mouth continued its torture, and she heard him demanding she tell him again into her skin.

"You feel good," she practically screamed, knowing she was seconds away from coming. "You feel so _fucking_ good!"

"Good girl," he all but growled, slipping a finger inside of her.

She came instantly, that doing nothing to stop his movements. She called his name loudly, nearly suffocating him with the pressure she was using to connect his mouth with her. He remained between hers legs a minute or two after she came, finishing up before moving back towards her face.

Reaching down to undo his slacks, he allowed her to catch her breath. She recovered faster than he thought, and was quick to stop him from removing his boxers as well. He looked at her questioningly, realization striking his face a second before she explained.

"It's your turn now."

"I don't think I can handle the teasing tonight," he told her, inwardly groaning when she pushed him onto his back and climbed onto his lap.

"I don't like breaking promises, Mr. Queen," she informed him, scraping her nails over the taut muscles of his chest.

He sucked in a breath, closing his eyes. "I think you can make an exception," he bit out.

She rocked against him, making him fist the bed sheets. "This could go a lot easier for you if you tell me what you want."

"You know what I want."

"Too vague," she murmured, sucking along his jaw while rubbing against his painful arousal.

"I want you, OK? I want to fuck you so hard you forget your own name," he answered, pleading her with his eyes to have mercy on him.

That stopped her movements long enough for him to let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Her body lowered, fingers taking off the only piece of clothing he had left. Her eyes locked with his, one hand coming up to suddenly grip him.

"Sorry, but I'm not done with you yet."

Then he was in her mouth, and he couldn't remember why he had been protesting in the first place. All he could think about was the several times the idea of her doing this to him had swarmed his mind. God, it was even better than he could have ever imagined.

Her tongue swirled around his tip, and one of his hands planted itself into her hair. Every time she came down on him, she took him a little deeper. The muscles in his abdomen flexed with restraint as he watched her pink lips cover him whole. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, her name sounding from him as if she were some sort of god-sent.

"Please," he urged, using the last amount of energy he had left to try and convince her to stop.

Pulling away, she eyed him. He was so far under her control; she felt her whole body screaming with want for him.

"Where do you want me, Mr. Queen?" she asked, voice sultry with desire.

"On your back," he ordered, suddenly recharged.

Her back hit the soft mattress, his body toppling down on top of it. Her breathing was uneven just from that, and him slamming into her didn't exactly help matters. Every inch of him was buried deep inside of her, reaching depths that rarely got explored.

His hips began a steady rhythm, going fast, but not fast enough. She could see the restraint in his face as the muscles in his neck bulged. She was so close yet again, but her body craved more.

"Fuck me faster, Oliver," she breathed, seeing his eyes flash in surprise.

"Bend your legs," he ordered, pulling out of her and waiting for her to obey.

She folded them upwards until the back of her calves were against the underside of her thighs. His arms wrapped around the vertices of her legs, ramming right back into place. She cried out his name, him not giving her the opportunity to catch her breath. He did as she had asked and moved faster inside of her.

Her body fought off her orgasm, enjoying the pleasure too much. Every time his thighs hit the skin of hers, she felt her screws loosen further. Her hands reached out to grip his forearms, hanging onto whatever she could.

"Come for me."

It was his last request. It was all she needed before she was falling off the edge, seeing flashes of a blinding white light as her eyelids clenched shut. He thrust once more into her before spilling all of him deep inside of her. It felt so personal this time, but she pushed that feeling to the back of her mind.

When he flopped down next to her, he was completely out of breath. For some reason, her name was on a loop from his mouth. He said it as if she had just saved his life and he owed her the world for it.

She focused on the ceiling fan, glancing at him. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah," he nodded, staring at her. "You?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good."

"Good." Her mind began to reflect, and she shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe we could have been a little dirtier."

His head turned to look at her, eyes scanning over her body briefly. "I'm starting to wonder what it will take to impress you, Ms. Smoak."

That made her laugh, and soon she was underneath him again, cupping his face as he kissed her softly. She pulled away before things got too hot and heavy, trying to fight off the grin that threatened to spread across her face.

"What if I told you I'm already majorly impressed, Mr. Queen?" she prompted, looking up at him.

He stared back, exhaling audibly. "You have no idea what you do to me sometimes, Felicity."

Her breath caught since he had called her by her first name, and they hadn't been doing anything more than talking at the moment. His words didn't feel like they were being used in just the sexual manner. They sounded as though they were meant to mean more than that. She shook her head to dismiss the thought.

Suddenly, Oliver moved over her, finding his clothes and beginning to redress. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Was it wrong that she wanted him to stay? Instead of saying something, she remained quiet, reminding herself that he was just going down the hall. A nagging voice from the back of her head asked why he didn't just sleep here.

She ignored it.

"So, I guess I'll see you in the morning?" he asked, and she could hear the hesitance in his voice.

Furrowing her brows, she wondered if he was waiting for her to invite him to stay. Closing her eyes, she scolded herself. She knew better. She needed to stop making this more than it was.

"Yeah, sleep well," she smiled, hearing him chuckle softly.

"You too," he replied, stepping back into the room to add, "Ms. Smoak."


	7. Chapter Six

Rattling and clanking woke Felicity up the next morning. She sat up in her bed, heart racing a million beats per minute. Seconds away from calling the police, she remembered that Oliver had stayed the night. It was weird for him to be making so much noise. She glanced at the clock and realized her alarm would be going off any minute now. Hopping out of bed, she headed for her bathroom.

She let out a gasp as she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was smeared, and she had total sex hair. She quickly washed her face, combing her hair back roughly with a brush. Deciding to just leave her tank top and shorts on, she pulled her silk robe over that. After she looked somewhat presentable for six in the morning, she left her bathroom and began walking towards her living room.

The first thing she saw when she walked out her room was Oliver fiddling around in her kitchen. Shirtless. Her mouth watered, and not just because she could smell the food in the air. He smiled at her when she made herself known, holding a spatula in his right hand. There were two plates set up at the table, glasses already filled to the brim with orange juice.

"Good morning," he greeted, turning around to flip a pancake.

"What are you doing?" she asked, standing in the archway of the kitchen.

"I'm making breakfast," he needlessly explained, moving slightly so that she could see a stack of already made pancakes on the other side of the stove. "It's the least I can do."

"I don't remember doing anything worthy of this," she told him, watching him set the pancake that was on the pan on top of the stack and switch off the stove.

He placed the spatula down, turning to face her with a smile. "Felicity, you underestimate yourself."

Her mouth opened to speak, but she shut it once she realized she didn't have anything to say. He went over to her fridge, searching around until he found the syrup. He held the bottle up, examining the label.

"Twenty-five percent less sugar," he read, knitting his brows together before giving her a look.

"I was watching my weight," she sputtered, flushing. "It doesn't taste as good as the original."

A light filled his eyes, indicating that he had gotten an idea. Stepping up to her, he used his left hand to brush her robe off one of her shoulders. He poured a light drizzle of syrup onto the skin right above her collar bone, quickly leaning down to lick it off. His mouth was warm on her body, and she let out a moan at the feel of his tongue lapping up the sugary sweetness. He pulled away, eyes just a shade darker.

"I'd say it tastes even better than the original," he murmured.

She was getting sucked in again, and she really didn't have the time for that. This was about the time she should be getting in the shower, preparing herself for work. Instead, she was standing in her kitchen, letting Oliver Queen lick syrup off her body. Closing her eyes, she took a step back.

"I don't have time for this, Oliver."

Picking up the plate of pancakes and bottle of syrup, he followed her out of the kitchen. He set the items onto the table, grabbing her arm before she could disappear into the confines of her bedroom.

"Hey, it's OK," he assured, the beginnings of a smile curving his lips. "Walter won't mind if we're a little late."

Looking into his eyes, she knew that she wouldn't fight him on this anymore. He went through the trouble of making her breakfast and just looked so excited that she found herself giving in. He smiled once he knew he had her, and led her over to a chair. Taking the seat next to her, he served both of them a pancake.

"Thank you for this."

"Of course," he smiled, reaching over to grab the syrup. "I'm sorry I didn't have time to make you coffee. We'll stop by that coffee shop you love on the way to work."

"I'm really worrying here," she laughed. "Why are you spoiling me?"

He frowned, lifting up one shoulder. "It's just breakfast, Felicity."

She nodded, feeling stupid for blowing this out of proportion. Everything that has been happening between them lately has been affecting her more than it should have been. Whatever was going on with her needed to stop.

"How did you sleep?" she asked, taking a bite of her pancake.

"Great. You have a really comfortable couch," he chuckled, drinking some of his orange juice. "So, I was looking through the book this morning, and I have a suggestion as to which tip we should do tonight."

"OK, what is it?"

"Dinner and a movie," he answered. "I know it doesn't sound hot, but it struck me when I was reading it that we've never gone out to dinner before."

"Is that really true?"

"I couldn't believe it either."

"Well, let's do it," she agreed. "And as for the movie part..."

"We can just watch one here."

"Sounds like a plan."

They finished breakfast, Felicity scolding Oliver about offering to do the dishes when he had made breakfast. He pressed on about them taking a shower together to save time, but she knew that would really end up having the opposite effect. In the end, they were dressed and ready for work within the hour. They took separate cars so that when they left work they could go back to their own houses to get ready for their dinner.

As promised, Oliver made sure they both stopped for coffee on their way to work. She felt refreshed and more than prepared for the meeting Walter had scheduled at eleven. When she walked into that conference room, she was practically beaming. She took a seat next to Oliver, shooting him a private smile. He returned it, leaning forward in his chair so that when he spoke, only she could hear him.

"I'm counting the hours, Ms. Smoak," he murmured, tapping the place on his wrist where a watch would normally be.

She fought back the shiver that threatened to run down her spine, knowing that now was not the place to lose her professional demeanor. Her eyes caught sight of Ray taking the seat across from her, and she heard Oliver exhale in the way she knew meant he was angry. That same nagging voice came back, and once again she shut it up.

Walter came striding into the room, wearing a bright smile that took everyone by surprise. They were only a month into the merger, and she knew there wasn't anything to smile about. Still, seeing him so cheery settled her nerves some.

"Good morning, everyone," Walter greeted, setting his folders down in front of him. He got a few murmurs in response, smiling politely, but refusing to take a seat. "This meeting should not take longer than five minutes. I have very good news."

"Does this news have anything to do with the merger?" Ray asked, and Felicity heard Oliver snicker.

"Yes, it does. In fact, that was what this meeting was about to begin with," Walter pointed out. "Just this morning, I spoke with the head of the merger for Palmer Technologies."

"I wasn't informed of anything," Ray interrupted, eyebrows furrowed in frustration and confusion.

"The meeting was meant to remain confidential until all things were finalized," Walter explained. "And that is why I have not informed you of it, Mr. Queen."

"I understand completely, Walter," Oliver replied, and Felicity knew he was only saying that to make Ray look stupid. "So, what is this good news."

"There are still a few signatures needed, but everything is pretty much final. Starting tomorrow, the merger between Queen Consolidated and Palmer Technologies is over. The two companies will go back to being independent businesses, and all Palmer Technologies employees will be given their jobs back."

"How is this possible?" Oliver asked, sitting up in his seat.

"There was a sudden increase in the stocks for both companies. We've managed to get back on our feet, and are in a safe enough place money-wise so that we do not have to rely on another companies' funds."

"Well, I think this is great news," one of the other associates in the room said. "Does this conclude the meeting?"

"Yes, but one more thing," Walter said, stopping the eager workers in their place. "The head of Palmer Technologies and I would like to treat all of you to a dinner tomorrow at the Italian restaurant on 3rd at seven. The bill will be taken care of by us, so leave your wallets at home."

"That is very generous of you Walter. We all appreciate it," Oliver told him, standing to shake his hand.

"Yes, thank you, Walter," Ray said, shaking his hand as well.

"It's the least we can do. Now, I know you are all just dying to get back to work," Walter joked, earning a couple chuckles. "So, this meeting is officially over. I hope to see all of you tomorrow."

People scurried out of the room, leaving behind nothing. Walter left after a brief goodbye to Felicity, leaving only Oliver, Ray, and her in the room. The tension was suffocating her, and she began to haul out of there. She could feel Oliver practically on the back of her heels.

"Felicity, can I have a moment?" Ray asked, stopping her in her tracks.

She glanced up at Oliver, finding him in a staring match with Ray. She stepped between them, earning both of their attentions.

"Yes, you may," she said, watching Oliver's face contort into a mixture of rage and betrayal. "Oliver, can you give us a minute, please?"

He gave her a hard look, sending one more glare Ray's way before walking out. She let out a breath, nearly dizzy from that encounter. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought Oliver was jealous. But she knew he just had a hatred towards his rival, and he didn't exactly like sharing his best friend with him.

"Thank you," Ray smiled, stepping closer to her. "Now that the update of the merger is known, I feel like we should discuss some things."

"OK," she nodded.

"Well, after tomorrow, I guess I'll be heading back to my office on the other side of town," he chuckled, though she could see how serious he was being. "This will mean that our talks at work will come to an end."

"I guess so."

She hadn't even thought of that. It wasn't as if she enjoyed hanging out with Ray, but she didn't hate it either. He was always polite, and he hadn't done anything to make her mad.

"I was hoping that this might encourage you to take me up on my offer of taking you to dinner."

She could feel the blood drain from her face once he reached the end of his sentence. She didn't even know how to react, what to say. He watched her, awaiting an answer.

"Ray, things between us haven't changed," she tried explaining, seeing the hope in his eyes disappear. "I'm just not interested."

"All I'm asking for is one dinner," he pressed. "Just one chance."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, unable to keep eye contact with him.

He tilted his head back as he let out a breath. His hands reached into his pockets, and he pulled out a tiny sheet of paper. There was a stray pen resting on the wooden table, and he used it to scribble something down. Handing the paper to her, she saw that it was a phone number.

"Give me a call if you change your mind, or if you just want to talk," he urged.

Then, he was gone and she was left standing alone in the center of the conference room with his number pressing into the palm of her hand.

She felt like a bitch.

* * *

Oliver didn't question her when she returned from the conference room, but she knew he wanted to. She shut the door to her office, needing time to herself. It didn't exactly feel good to reject Ray, but it didn't feel right to do anything with him while everything between her and Oliver were so complicated. She wondered how Oliver would have treated the situation had the roles been reversed. She decided not to think about that since he probably wouldn't have handled things as she had.

Since most of the work she had been doing had been for the merger, she wasn't sure what to do to occupy herself. She decided to clean out her desk, hoping a clean environment would help her mind. By the time she finished, her desk looked as if she just got fired, and she debated whether or not to take some of the papers out of the trash and back onto her desk.

About an hour before their shifts ended, Oliver came tapping on her office door. He wore a reluctant look on his face, and she knew he must be feeling guilty about how he reacted earlier.

"Hey," he murmured, watching as she stood up to meet him.

"Hey," she returned, crossing her arms.

"Have you gotten a lot of work done?"

"Mostly cleaning," she shrugged. "You?"

"I've actually spent most of my day thinking about what I would say to you," he admitted. "I'm sorry for the pissing contest from earlier."

"And I thought it was all in my head," she breathed, a joking tone in her voice.

He chuckled, hanging his head in embarrassment. "No, I was definitely aware. I tend to get protective when it comes to you."

She felt the breath get knocked from her lungs at his confession, and realized she needed more of an explanation before she started jumping to conclusions. "It must be a best friend instinct thing, right?"

"Sure," he accepted, and the world slipped out from beneath her feet. "I'm going to head out now so I can get ready for our dinner."

"Right," she nodded, proud of herself for finding her voice. "I should probably get going, too. I wouldn't want to hold our dinner plans up."

"Take as long as you need," he advised, beginning to walk out of her office. "I'll have my limo come pick you up. With me in it, of course," he added.

"Of course," she laughed, her grin remaining long after he left.

* * *

Felicity drove herself home, showering immediately. It didn't matter that she had already showered in the morning. For some reason, tonight meant so much more to her than just some dinner before an amazing lay. She scrubbed her hair thoroughly, washing two times instead of one. When she got out, she pulled on her fluffy robe, going into her closet to pick out her outfit.

It took her nearly twenty minutes before she settled on a dark red dress. She put on a pair of lace underwear, and the bra to match. After thinking twice about it, she took off the panties, placing them neatly back into her drawer. Her makeup was next, and she put on the same amount as she always did with the bonus of a light layer of blush - not that she needed it. After blow drying her hair, she straightened it until it rested along her shoulders and flowed down her back.

The final touch to her appearance was her dress. It had been a long time since she had worn it, and she was an indescribable kind of happy when she realized it fit just as well as the day she bought it. Once everything was in place, she went over to her long mirror. Surprisingly, she was pleased with her look. All she could do was hope Oliver felt the same.

His timing couldn't have been better when he texted her. She hadn't been done for more than a few minutes before he was telling her he was on his way. She told him she was ready, and he revealed that he was actually downstairs. She just shook her head at the message, jumping at the sudden knock on the door. Running stealthily over to her door, she swung it open to find Oliver standing there, hands in his pockets.

"So I guess you lied again," she joked, recalling how he had said only a second ago that he was downstairs.

He gave no indication that he had heard her. His eyes were glued to her, searing the image into his brain. Her face flushed, and she felt compelled to hide behind her door. On the other hand, she wanted to stand there and keep the special feeling she had from the speechless look on his face. He took a step towards her, and her heart stopped.

"Maybe we should just skip dinner," he suggested, pupils dilating with lust.

"No, no, no, no, no," she denied, placing a hand against his chest to keep him from touching her. "I did not put all this effort into getting ready for it to go unappreciated."

"Oh, I'll make sure it's appreciated," he assured, voice ten octaves deeper than it usually was. "Come here."

And how could she stop him?

He looked so good in his suit, and it was apparently impossible for him to take his eyes off of her. So, she let him push his way into her house, crowding in on her until all she could see was him. His lips smashed onto hers, hand slamming the door shut. His tongue swept into her mouth, frying her brain into a jumble of static.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, suddenly pulling away.

"What is it?" she breathed, craving nothing more than his lips on hers again.

"Tonight was supposed to be... special," he explained, backing away from her. "I made reservations at your favorite restaurant."

"You know what my favorite restaurant is?" she asked, her heart soaring.

He just grinned, opening her front door once again. He offered his hand to her, and she took it gratefully. She locked it, and he escorted her to the elevators. His eyes were still sneaking peaks at her, and her body was slowly heating from the attention. Once the elevator doors were opened, he was guiding her to his awaiting limo. He helped her inside first, stepping in right behind her.

"Felicity, you know my driver, John Diggle," he introduced, gesturing towards the man in front of the wheel.

"Of course. How are you Diggle?" she asked, smiling at him. "Things with Lyla still going well?"

"I'm great, Felicity. And yes, things with Lyla are going spectacularly." Diggle smiled politely, eyes glinting as he spoke his next words. "Oliver was a nervous wreck about five minutes ago," he revealed, making Felicity laugh.

Oliver's face reddened, surprising Felicity more than it should have. He rarely got embarrassed, and it was nice to see it on him for a change.

"I was not a wreck," he argued, giving her the feeling that Diggle was going to get a firm talking to after this. "Just drive, Diggle."

Oliver pushed a small button by the door handle, a window rising to separate them from Diggle. Felicity was still laughing at him, and he looked down at his hands as he contemplated what to say next.

"It's nice to know I wasn't the only one stressing about tonight," she told him, breaking the silence. "I swear I changed my outfit about a hundred times before I settled on this."

"And you chose perfectly," he complimented, eyes scanning over her once again. "I was only nervous because I didn't want anything to go wrong tonight."

"It's going great so far," she promised, bumping his shoulder slightly. "You did good, Queen."

He smiled in a way that made her think there was more to it than that, extending his arm towards her to clasp her hand in his. It was such a small, yet intimate act. Her brain started to do that thing where it over-analyzed everything, and she had to close her eyes to get it to shut down. Tonight was all about having a good time. There weren't any strings or commitments attached to this night, and they both knew it.

The drive was done in silence until the car slowed to a halt, and Diggle was opening her door. Oliver muttered something about that being his job, but the view of her ass from her getting out of the car shut him up. The first thing she saw once she was freed from the tinted windows was the gentle shine of the Christmas lights that surrounded the perimeter of her favorite restaurant.

"I'll text you when we're ready," Oliver instructed Diggle who nodded in understanding.

Then, he was by Felicity's side, his hand finding its way to her lower back. Tingles shot up her spine at the pressure of his palm against her. The smirk that flashed across his face showed her that he caught her reaction. They walked no more than a few inches apart from each other, heading for the entrance of the restaurant. The place was packed, and there was a long line of people waiting to be seated.

A women approached them hurriedly about the wait, looking flustered as she took in the string of people awaiting a table.

"Do you have a reservation?" she asked, opening up a black leather book.

"Yes," Oliver murmured. "It's under Queen."

A look of realization flashed across the woman's eyes as she looked up from the book. "Of course. Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Queen."

Felicity's heart leaped into her throat and she heard Oliver suck in a breath. He didn't correct her though, and Felicity didn't know what to think of that. The presence of his hand became more persistent as he lead her after the woman, pressing more possessively into her back in a way that made Felicity feel like they actually were married.

They were guided over to an empty table, a couple of waiters appearing out of nowhere to make sure they were comfortable. Oliver requested a bottle of wine right off the bat, and something told her he had reserved that, too.

"I'm impressed, Queen," she said, noting the way the lights reflected in his eyes.

"That's nice to hear," he smiled, placing his hand on top of hers on the table.

Her heart stopped as she tried to play it cool. The waiter returned to the table, wine bottle in hand. He served them, setting the bottle on the table. Oliver took a sip of it, nodding his approval to the waiter. He left, promising to return shortly to take their order. Felicity's eyes skimmed over the menu even though she already knew what she wanted.

"So, tell me," Oliver started, a glint of humor in his eyes. "How long would it normally have taken for you to get a table here?"

"Without a reservation, usually a couple of hours," she admitted, making his mouth drop in disbelief.

"The food must be pretty good if you keep waiting."

"It's incredible," she confirmed. "Do you already know what you're getting?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Whatever you're getting. I trust your taste."

"Now I'm worried I'll disappoint," she laughed.

"Impossible," he responded, raising his head to add, "Mrs. Queen."

She flushed, and his thumb spread across her hand to draw her eyes back to his.

"They think I'm your wife," she unnecessarily told him.

He nodded, maintaining eye contact with her. "Let them."

* * *

They arrived at her apartment complex a couple hours later, all bubbly and giggly from the wine. Dinner had gone amazingly, and Oliver had loved her choice in food. He talked her into getting dessert, her agreeing despite the knowledge of her expected resentment in the morning. Oliver had told Diggle to head home for the night, already planning on staying at Felicity's - which she did not mind one bit.

Now, he was leading them towards her apartment as she clung onto his arm. She was huddled over in laughter about some comment he had made about the people seated next to them, his hand taking a hold of her when she lost her balance for a second. Since her hands could not keep still, he had to take the keys from her to unlock her door.

He locked right back up once they were both inside, her walking into the kitchen to pull out a bottle of wine from above her stove. He went over to her bar stools, letting out a breath as she brought out two glasses for them.

"I think we've had enough wine for the night," he decided, watching her struggle to unscrew the cork.

"Why?" she pouted.

"Because if you drink any more, I'll feel guilty about doing this. And that won't be fun for either of us," he explained, watching her put the bottle back and grab two water bottles instead. "Good girl."

"The last time you told me that, you were between my legs," she reminded him, handing him a bottle.

"That I was," he chuckled, loving that she didn't have a filter after a few glasses of wine.

He had learned that about her shortly after they met. There had been some company function that they were both at, and all of the boring people had driven her to keep throwing back the expensive wine. He hadn't known her long enough to determine her alcohol tolerance, but that night had been his first sneak peak into what it was. Once the crowd started clearing out, he suggested they leave as well. She agreed, accepting his offer to give her a ride home. Along the way she had made some very vulgar remarks about the people at the event, making his sides hurt from laughing so much.

"So, what movie are we going to watch?" she questioned, scanning her small collection that rested near her records.

"I don't know. Let me check the book to see if there's a specific genre."

He found the book right where he had left it this morning, glad to see that he had bookmarked the page. On one side was the image of two people sitting across from each other at dinner, directly below it the image of two people watching a movie. The other side of the book provided details and insight as to what this tip was about. The color drained from his face once he read the movie section.

"Well," Felicity prompted, his head turning to look at her.

"Um... it says that we should... uh," he stuttered, not knowing how to tell her. "It says that we should watch a... a porno."

"A what?!" she exclaimed, slipping into a fit of laughter. "Oliver, I don't own anything like that."

"I thought dinner and a movie sounded too innocent," he muttered, setting the book back down.

She scanned over her movie collection once more, pulling one off of the top rack. "The best I can do is one of those Halloween movies," she frowned, holding it for him to see.

"I thought you hated horror movies," he said, taking it from her hand to check out the back cover.

"I do," she confirmed, smiling because he remembered little things like that about her. "Cooper left that here."

His faced turned to stone, revealing to her yet again his hatred for her jerk of an ex-boyfriend. Getting to her feet, she waltzed over to her DVD player, putting the movie into the disk holder. After the movie was playing on the screen, she told a hold of his hand, guiding him to her couch. He plopped down onto the cushion, still pouting lightly.

"Want me to make us some popcorn?" she offered, standing up before he could reply.

The movie started on its own, but she didn't mind. She really did hate those movies. There was only one bag of popcorn left in her cabinet, and she made herself a mental note to pick up some more the next time she was at the store. She put the popcorn in the microwave for two minutes, glancing over her counter at Oliver a few times only to catch him looking at her.

"You're supposed to be watching the movie, Queen," she reminded him, though she was eating the attention up.

"And you're supposed to be on my lap," he returned, making her scoff.

"The book never said anything about me sitting on your lap."

"Well, it's only a matter of time before you end up there."

Before she could respond, the microwave was going off. She took the popcorn out, dumping it into a large bowl. He smiled at her as she made her way to the couch, surprising her when he kept his hands to himself. She took the seat next to him, putting a few inches between them so she wouldn't get distracted as easily. The bowl of popcorn was placed in the middle of them, occupying the empty space.

Sure enough, she hated the movie just as much as the last time she had seen it. The characters frustrated her, and the effects were awful. The look on Oliver's face told her he was thinking the same thing, making her think of how Cooper had loved watching these movies despite their unappealing faults. They had made it a quarter into the movie before she just got sick of it.

"I can't watch this anymore."

"If Cooper liked it, we should have known it wasn't going to be good," he remarked, bristling noticeably. "Why don't you put on something you want to watch?"

"Because I know you don't like those girly movies I love."

"If you want to watch it, then so do I," he told her, causing her to smile at him. "Put on whatever you want."

As if she wasn't having a hard enough time resisting him already. How could she just sit back down and watch a flashing screen when Oliver Queen was three inches away, making her heart jump with every word?

"Or..." she trailed off, moving the popcorn bowl onto the coffee table and climbing onto his lap.

His head tilted to the side as he grinned, hands already taking their place on her hips. "I told you it was only a matter of time."

And that was the moment she couldn't take it any more.

Her mouth toppled over his, moaning when his tongue slipped between her lips. Without hesitation, she began rubbing against him, head spinning at the glorious friction that was being generated from the rise of his hips into hers. He hummed into her mouth, hands sliding under the material of her dress. He groaned when he discovered she wasn't wearing anything underneath her dress, and she had to let out a pleased giggle.

"You are evil," he murmured, taking her lip between his teeth and pulling back.

Her breathing sped up, hands cupping his face to kiss him deeper than she already was. His lips moved against hers in hot, opened-mouthed kisses, her hips instinctively grinding into his. His thumb flicked over her most sensitive spot, sending her nerves into a frenzy. He smirked, repeating the motion again and again until she was clutching his hair in her hands and tugging hard.

"Oliver," she breathed, moaning in ecstasy.

His eyes closed when she said his name, almost as if he were savoring the sound of it. She ground against him more purposefully for that, smirking triumphantly. Her name was pulled from his lips, breezing through her ear and straight into her core. His hands gripped her hips tightly, lifting them up so that she could no longer feel the throb of his erection through his slacks. He steadied her with a look that told her to hold that position. Her eyes glinted in wonderment, curious as to why he was torturing her like this.

One of his hands, his right one specifically, moved so that it was under her hovering body. His left hand rose to her shoulder, guiding her downwards. She landed directly on top of two of his pointed fingers, a silent scream tearing through her lips. He sunk lower on the couch, making the situation all the more comfortable for the both of them.

Her body hunched over his, having yet to move since the sensation had nearly been unbearable the first time. Then, his fingers moved inside of her encouragingly, and she found it impossible to keep restraining herself. She began riding his fingers, moving slow and steadily at first. His head was tilted back, studying her face as it contorted in pleasure.

Her pace only quickened, his name being drawn from her more times than she could count. She was sure he was tired of hearing it, yet the subtle darkening of his pupils each time she yelled it proved that theory wrong. The edge was so near for her, and she was reluctant to let go. Again, her body screamed for that hard release.

She locked her arms around his neck, pressing his face into her chest. His tongue traced imaginary designs into her skin, only adding more fire to that deep pit in her stomach. It didn't take long before the consistent pumping of his fingers pushed her to her limit, making her body clamp tight around them. He let out a shuddering breath, sounding just as affected as she was.

Panting, she waited for her breathing to regulate before moving again. He slipped his hand out from under her, it landing right back on her upper thigh to rub soothing circles into her skin.

"You OK?" he asked, voice gruff.

Guilt slapped her across the face because here he was, undergoing a certain torture out of respect for her. She could feel him straining against her thigh, and began to trail her fingers downward to feel him through his slacks. He hissed her name, flipping her onto her back. He undid his belt, the clanking of the silver metal bumping against itself causing moisture to pool low in her body.

He didn't even have the patience to pull his pants down all the way. His hands pushed them as far as they would go, bringing his boxers along with them. Her hand sought him out, lightly gripping his hardened length. Oliver grit her name out through clenched teeth, shutting his eyes tightly as well. After stroking him a few times, his eyes reopened to reveal an unrecognizable shade of blue.

He spread her out for him, entering her in one sharp thrust. His head landed somewhere in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her hair briefly before starting a steady rhythm. His hips rocketed into hers, inching her closer into the direction of that sweet release with each collision.

The silky dress she still occupied slid easily along her body, that only benefiting his craving for speed. Fingertips dragged along the various expanses of skin along his back, scratching and digging into the soft skin through his clothing. Lightly, she bit down on the part his shoulder that was visible through his popped collar. His lips suctioned around a spot just below her earlobe, his tongue flicking over the skin several times.

"Felicity, you're mine," he growled, words muffled by her skin against his lips.

"What?" she breathed, ruffling her fingers through his hair as she rolled her hips in sync with his.

God, her brain was a mess right now.

"Mine," he repeated, sounding desperate as he swung into her in such a away that had her eyes clenching shut and his name stolen from her body. "Not Ray's."

Due to that state her mind was in because of all the passion, she really couldn't be sure if she had heard him correctly. Maybe it was her imagination. Maybe that was what she secretly wanted to hear him say. That seemed more likely than Oliver actually saying those words. Then again, his lips only continued to press into her skin, assuring her that there would be proof of this in the morning. She didn't know how she should feel about that.

It felt pretty damn good at the moment.

When she came for the second time that night, he was close behind. Her name vibrated through his chest, filling her room and echoing off the walls. Or it could have just been her imagination again. She was seeing a lot of spots, and the edges of her vision were blurry. At the moment, she probably wasn't the most reliable source for anything.

Oliver stood after a few minutes, picking his pants up and refastening the belt. Sitting up, Felicity tugged her dress down to its respectable length. He looked ashamed, an exhale of breath leaving his lungs.

"I'm sorry about that. It was really... I should have been more patient with you."

"Oliver, it's fine. I don't know if you could tell or not, but I definitely liked it," she informed him, making him chuckle.

There was a shriek from the television, reminding them that they hadn't even bothered to turn the movie off. Oliver went over to the DVD player, pressing a button and ending the awful film. She gave him a smile in thanks, getting to her feet. She paused before heading completely into her room.

"I had a great time tonight," she said, watching as his hands slipped into his pockets.

"Really?" he asked, drawing his brows together as if it were really so hard to believe that someone could actually enjoy a meal with him.

She nodded, scratching her forehead as a deep blush filled her cheeks. "It was... kinda fun pretending to be your wife tonight."

The look he gave her was one she had only ever imagined seeing on a person. He was looking at her like how she had only ever imagined someone looking at her like. It sent chills down her spine, but she refused to break the eye contact they were sharing. That look is what made her question again whether or not he had actually called her his.

And if he did, did he mean it?

"I understand why she would have thought we were married. I did say I would be accompanied by an extraordinary woman."

She laughed, though what she really wanted to do was go for round two with him. He continued speaking, and she found herself hungry for his words.

"If I were with anyone else, I would have corrected her," he admitted, and she felt her face pale. He seemed to hear his own words for the first time, shrinking away. "Goodnight, Felicity."

She pressed her lips together, not wanting to say anything to ruin this moment. "Goodnight Oliver." She stopped in her tracks, turning around to face him. "Oh, you left a suit here a few days ago. I washed it for you."

"Thank you," he told her, looking at her as if she just told him the sweetest thing in the world.

And maybe she had.


	8. Chapter Seven

Felicity woke up in the morning to shower, discovering that - just as she had predicted - there were marks on her skin from where Oliver had gotten carried away the night before. It was a little more frustrating now than it had been last night. She had to wear one of her collared blouses, praying that would be enough to cover it up. Sure, it was just light enough for her to hide with makeup; but there was something thrilling about the thought that at just the right angle, someone would be able to see the proof that he had been there.

God, she needed help.

Oliver had eyed her knowingly after she met him in her living room, approaching her slowly. There was a moment where he pulled her collar down to look, letting the beginnings of a smirk show on his face. With a calloused finger, he brushed over the mark - almost as if he were admiring his handiwork - and sending a shiver down her spine. She stepped out of his grasp, turning away from the cocky grin he wore. That smugness is exactly why she snuck The Kin CD into her purse when Oliver wasn't looking, planning on putting it into the stereo once they were both in the car.

And she did exactly that.

The song came on slowly at first, but she knew he detected it by the snapping up of his head from where his eyes had been staring at the flooring of her car. Oliver turned to her with a dark look in his eyes, making her laugh despite the surge of desire that rushed through her veins. He didn't change the CD, though she knew she would be paying for that one later.

Her desk was covered with a neat stack of papers, all requiring her signature to make sure she knew what her position at the company looked like now that the merger was over. Her job hadn't changed much besides all the extra paperwork. She still attended all mandatory board meetings, and even got to keep her same office. Though, she was sure Oliver wouldn't have let them move her anyways. Quickly signing the documents so that she wouldn't have to worry about them later, she decided to check her email.

Not even seconds after she logged onto her account, a little window was popping up, indicating that she had received an instant message.

_To: Felicity Smoak_

_From: Sara Lance_

_Felicity, are you available for lunch today? My treat :)_

Felicity smiled, writing back immediately. This was just what she needed. Sara would most likely be dying to know all about her and Oliver's little escapades over the past few days, and there were some things she needed to get Sara's advice on.

_To: Sara Lance_

_From: Felicity Smoak_

_Of course I am! I was just thinking about how we need to catch up. A LOT has happened between me and he who shall not be named._

There was a little chime a moment later, Felicity's eyes scanning over the text easily.

_To: Felicity Smoak_

_From: Sara Lance_

_Who? Oliver?_

_..._

_Just messing with you. Wait, it is still him, right? Or have you upgraded?_

Felicity's fingers rapped harshly against the keys, her head shaking in frustration.

_To: Sara Lance_

_From: Felicity Smoak_

_Tease all you want now, but don't expect anything less once I meet your mystery man. Saturday, right?_

Felicity waited several minutes for a response, wondering if she had pushed it too far after a while. Then, there was that little noise and flashing light on the bottom of the screen that said otherwise.

_To: Felicity Smoak_

_From: Sara Lance_

_If all goes well, then yes. I really hope I get your approval on this one. Let's meet at Big Belly Burger at noon today?_

Felicity sent her an email agreeing, logging off of her account before anyone else could get a hold of her. It turned out, she wasn't in a socializing mood at the moment. For the first time ever, she was actually praying for work. She needed something to keep herself busy until she could meet with Sara and empty her stress out.

There was a knock on her door about half an hour later, and she looked up to find Oliver standing there. He looked happy, which was always a good sign.

"Did you get the email from Walter?" he asked, stepping deeper into her office.

"I actually just logged off not too long ago. What did it say?"

"It was just a reminder about the company dinner tonight. You're going, right?"

"A free meal at a fancy restaurant? Of course I'm going," she answered, making him laugh.

"Uh, do you want to go together?" he asked, watching her face blank. "As friends of course. Or coworkers. It's really up to you."

"Um, yeah," she agreed. "I'd love to go."

"Great," he smiled. "What are you doing for lunch?"

"Sara and I have plans to go eat at Big Belly Burger."

"That'll be nice. I'm meeting with Tommy for lunch. He says it's an emergency."

"Ooh," Felicity winced, sucking in her breath. "That's never good coming from Tommy."

"Tell me about it," Oliver sighed, locking eyes with her. "Should I come for you at around 6:00?"

"Uh, yeah," she nodded, almost forgetting what he was talking about. "Yeah, 6:00 would be perfect."

"OK, great. I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing."

He left her office, her watching him all the way until he reached his desk and she could no longer get away with it.

* * *

By the time Felicity got to Big Belly Burger, Sara had already been there for ten minutes. Knowing Felicity as well as she did, Sara had ordered for the both of them. She chose to sit in a secluded booth towards the back of the diner, wanting as much privacy as possible. When Felicity walked into the place, her eyes scanned the space for Sara. Once she was spotted, Felicity strode over, a grin on her face.

"Well, you're smiling like someone who's been getting laid," Sara said as a form of greeting, standing to give her a hug.

"And you're joking around like someone who's been getting laid," Felicity retorted, sliding onto the leather seating across from her friend. "I'm guessing things between you and this mystery man are getting pretty serious. Oh, wait. I forgot - you don't do serious."

"Actually, I'm thinking about trying it out. I really like this person."

Felicity feigned shock, dropping her jaw and bracketing her face with her hands. "Sara Lance is taking an attempt at a serious relationship? The world must be nearing its end."

Sara shook her head at her friend, rolling her eyes. "You have no right to make fun of my relationship when your's is so fucked up."

"My relationship with Oliver is not fucked up," Felicity denied, her defenses immediately raised.

"Oh, come on, Felicity. You're screwing your best friend," Sara unnecessarily reminded her. "You can't tell me things between you guys are the same."

Felicity sighed, knowing Sara had her. She couldn't exactly lie about it either, because she had been planning on spilling all of the gory details to her in exchange for advice. So, she nodded her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Actually, things between us have really shifted," she admitted, watching as Sara's face turned from smug to concerned. "I mean, I feel it. I just don't know if he does."

"What happened?"

Felicity shrugged. "It started off so easy. What we did behind closed doors never really got in the way of our daily life. Then, the things he would do for me routinely started to hold more... meaning. It doesn't feel like just sex to me anymore."

"Does he stay the night?"

"He has."

"In your bed?"

"No, we don't do that," Felicity quickly clarified, blushing because of how much the thought had crossed her mind.

"How many times have you guys had sex since this whole thing started?"

"Every night since."

"Felicity!" Sara exclaimed, smacking her shoulder in scolding. "It's no wonder you're falling for him! You haven't given yourself time to breathe."

"Whoa, who said anything about me falling for him?" Felicity asked, earning a serious look. "I am _not_ falling for him, Sara."

"Hey, I'm not judging you, OK?" Sara assured, realizing that Felicity wasn't going to confess to it. "Tell me how Oliver's been handling all this."

"He just says and does these little, minor things that I tend to pick apart until I've convinced myself there more than just what they are. I'm sure he doesn't think anything of what he does."

Sara inwardly shook her head. There was no doubt in her mind that her friend had fallen for this guy. If he couldn't tell, he was an even bigger moron than she thought he was.

"Like what? Give me some examples."

Felicity stared at her hands, recalling certain events that could help Sara better understand what she meant. "We went out to dinner last night. It was his idea. When he came to pick me up, he... he couldn't take his eyes off of me, Sara. It's like... I don't know. I just felt so special, you know?"

"Yeah," she nodded, smiling knowingly. "What else?"

"I woke up yesterday to find him in my kitchen, making me breakfast. Seeing him in there just felt right. He looked like he belonged there." Felicity thought of Ray and all of the times Oliver had gotten upset over him. "Then, there's this guy at work who has a thing for me, Ray is his name. Oliver absolutely hates him, and yesterday when we were fooling around, he said something."

"What was it?"

Felicity flushed, regretting bringing it up. "Sara, I don't even know if I heard him right. He was in the midst of doing this thing with his-"

"Felicity," Sara interrupted, not needing the hear the details of the incredible sex at the moment. "What did he say?"

Felicity paused, knitting her brows together before locking eyes with Sara and rambling out her next words. "He said I belonged to him, and not Ray."

Sara's eyes widened, but she stayed quiet. Felicity didn't blame her. She didn't know what to make of it either. That's why, from the moment it had happened, she had pushed it way into the back of her brain. Now, it was out and there was no avoiding it. God, she wasn't even going to bring up their little role playing as a married couple incident.

"Holy shit, Felicity," Sara breathed. "You guys really fucked things up."

"I know," she sighed, closing her eyes. "What should I do?"

"You need to talk to him," Sara advised. "If you think there is even a chance that you didn't hear him right - which you already said there was - you need to find out. That's not something you say to someone you're just fucking. It doesn't matter how long you've been friends."

"What if he did say it?" Felicity asked, chewing on her lip nervously.

"Then you guys need to decide what you want out of your relationship," Sara concluded, watching the horror spread across Felicity's features. "Look, don't worry. You told me that things between you guys are going to go this way until the merger ends. Give it a few more days to see if anything like that happens again. If it doesn't, you have your answer. If it does, then you know what you have to do."

"Shit," Felicity whispered, rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Oliver and I weren't even thinking about this yesterday. The merger is done. It ended yesterday. That means that what Oliver and I did yesterday shouldn't have happened. We broke the rules."

* * *

Tommy's car pulled up along the curb of the Queen Consolidated building, Tommy honking his car horn despite Oliver's wave acknowledging his presence. Oliver slid roughly into the passenger seat, scowling at his friend as he slammed the door shut.

"You know I saw you, right?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to see the look on your face. Embarrassing you is the best, man," Tommy joked, grinning while speeding out of the parking lot.

Oliver shook his head, leaning it against the window of the car. They were stopped at a red light right next to his building, and Oliver stared at the people milling through the parking lot. Everyone was leaving for lunch, heading to their favorite spots. His head snapped up when someone who he blew off as an ordinary employee turned out to be Felicity. It didn't matter that he had just seen her on his way out; he still felt his stomach flip.

A man walking past her stopped to speak with her. She smiled at him, and Oliver couldn't help the buzz of jealousy that boiled beneath his surface. Tommy's car was jetting off again before he could see more. Knowing Tommy would notice if he turned around, he decided to just let it go.

"So, why is it that you couldn't meet me at Verdant?" Tommy asked, switching lanes easily.

"My car's at my house."

Tommy glanced at him, eyes hidden underneath his black sunglasses. "And how exactly did you get to work?"

"Felicity took me."

Tommy sat up in his seat, letting out a sound of disbelief. "Oh, don't tell me you've been spending the night."

"I sleep on the couch," he justified, not paying much attention to Tommy's overreaction.

"So you just fuck her and then go to sleep in another room? You're more of an ass than I thought."

"Screw you, Tommy," Oliver snapped. "It's not like that."

The car was quiet except for the buzzing from the engine. The next red light they hit, Tommy turned to look at Oliver, a frown on his face.

"I didn't mean to give you a rough time, man. I'm just thinking about Felicity is all."

"Since when is she your concern?" Oliver bit out, unsure of where all this rage was coming from.

Tommy froze, drawing his attention back to the road. Verdant was just up the street, and Oliver could see it from where he was sitting. He gave Tommy a look that told him he was waiting for some sort of explanation, making Tommy sigh.

"I'd rather do this over a beer, Oliver."

"I'm not drinking."

"I meant for me," Tommy clarified. "Liquid courage, you know?"

Oliver didn't respond, still bristling. When Tommy pulled into the parking lot, Oliver glanced around to see that there were a few other cars there as well. He walked inside the bar, sitting in his usual seat. Tommy sat next to him, ordering a beer for himself, and a glass of water for Oliver. Oliver couldn't help but notice that Tommy was in Felicity's seat, scoffing under his breath at how ridiculous he was being.

"So, did you catch the Rockets game yesterday?" Tommy asked, attempting to lighten the mood and change the subject as well.

Oliver wasn't falling for it. He fixed Tommy with a stare that said he better get to the point.

"I don't want to play games here, Tommy."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm just not ready for what might happen when I tell you."

"What is it? Do you have feelings for Felicity or something?" he questioned, squinting his eyes in confusion.

"What? No, man. This really has nothing to do with her."

"Then why would I be upset?"

"Because I've... I've sort of been seeing someone," Tommy confessed, staring down his glass. "It's new - a couple of days to be exact - and it's a really big deal to me."

"Tommy, that's great," Oliver grinned, clapping him on the back. "I'm thrilled for you. Surprised, yeah, but thrilled nonetheless."

Tommy let out a bitter laugh, chugging down a large portion of his beer. "You don't know the kicker yet."

"She's not married, is she?"

"God, no. What kind of monster do you think I am, Oliver? Wait, don't answer that."

"What is it, Tommy?" Oliver pressed, growing annoyed. "You're making me angry by not telling me. You might as well get it over with."

"Fine," Tommy said, exhaling audibly. "The girl I've been seeing? It's Laurel."

Tommy flinched, waiting for that punch that never came. Slowly, he looked at Oliver. If he was angry, there was no way to tell. His expression remained blank, a far off look in his eyes. Tommy waited patiently for him to speak, not wanting to be the first one to break the silence. It took a full thirty seconds of hell before Oliver finally said something.

"Don't break her heart, Tommy."

"I don't plan on it," he sputtered, completely shocked. "Are you- are you OK with this?"

"Tommy, I haven't had feelings for Laurel in a very long time. I'm glad she's found someone who makes her happy."

Tommy nodded his head, still not believing that he was getting off this easily. Then, it hit him.

Felicity.

Oliver wasn't mad at him because he had already moved on himself. He had fallen for the only female influence in his life. He had fallen for the person he had told everyone else he would never fall for. He had fallen for his best friend.

"So, you and Felicity, huh?" Tommy asked, regarding his friend with no judgment at all.

Oliver rested his chin in his hands, sighing lightly. "I don't know, Tommy. I thought it would be so simple to keep my feelings out of our arrangement, but some are more persistent than others."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's this guy at work, Ray Palmer, and he has this thing for Felicity. It's really been confusing me, and I said something last night. It wasn't supposed to come out, but it did and I... I don't know what to do."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that she was mine," he said, watching as Tommy's eyebrows raised. "And not Palmer's."

Tommy blew out a breath, shaking his head. "That's tough, man. Did you guys talk about it?"

"No," Oliver told him, furrowing his brows. "She probably thought it was a heat of the moment thing."

"Was it?"

Oliver rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, moving them until they were scuffing over the stubble along his jaw. Tommy didn't need an answer. He knew Oliver enough to know what that meant.

* * *

At exactly 6:00, Oliver was at Felicity's door. She opened it, seeming flustered as she moved hurriedly through her house. He stepped inside, locking the door behind him. He caught her figure disappearing back into her bedroom, deciding to follow her inside. She was muttering incoherent words under her breath, something he knew she did when she was feeling rushed.

"Need any help?" he asked, smiling fondly at her.

"Actually, yes," she nodded, running up to him with a pair of earrings in her palm.

He took them from her hand, gently brushing her hair away from her ear. He wasn't sure he had ever been as careful with something as he was with this. The needle going through her skin made him cringe until he noticed she wasn't in any pain. He did the other ear much easier, but still held the same amount of caution.

"You're not going to hurt me," she told him, making his breath catch.

"You're right," he murmured, standing back. "There you go."

She smiled up at him, and his hand involuntarily moved to clutch her upper arm. All he could do was stare at her because she was just so breathtakingly gorgeous it hurt. A feeling of want spread through him, and not just in a physical way. He wanted something much more than that with her. The thought scared the hell out of him, because the very idea of her not reciprocating those feelings was pure torture.

"Oliver, what is it?" she asked, pulling gently at the lapels of his suit and snapping him out of his head.

He let out a sigh, giving her a small smile. "Nothing. You just look really beautiful, Felicity."

Just as he expected, her face burned red with embarrassment. The smile that spread across his face was genuine this time, since he always loved how easily she blushed.

"Thank you," she whispered, stepping away from him and into her closet to retrieve her heels.

He watched her put them on, a fluttering occurring in his stomach. Not sure what was happening to him, he drifted back out into the living room. In only two minutes, she was locking up her door, and following him down to his car.

* * *

Felicity had never been to that restaurant before. There were fancy cars filling each slot in the parking lot, valet workers driving off to park the cars that would no longer fit. Felicity had her hands in her lap, eyeing all of the expensive clothing and jewelry that seemed to mock her.

"Aren't you glad we carpooled?" Oliver asked, frustrated by the long line of cars they were stuck in.

She smiled, hiding the stab of pain that shot through her at the realization that that's all he thought of tonight. It wasn't a date, and he had made that clear earlier. But to know that he thought of them going to dinner together as carpooling was not something she could just shrug off.

"Yeah, so glad," she lied, shooting him a fake smile.

It took fifteen minutes before his car was parked and they were entering the restaurant. Most of the people were already there, looking as if they were being forced to attend. Walter stood up with they arrived, kissing Felicity politely on the cheek. Oliver shook hands with him, starting up a conversation about some financial techniques. Felicity noticed Ray stand up from the other side of the table, beginning to head straight for her.

"Hey," he murmured, squirming like he felt out of place.

"Hello, Ray," she smiled. "How was your last day at the company?"

"It could have been better," he shrugged, that familiar smile returning to his face. "I stopped by your office to see if you wanted to grab lunch."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was catching up with a friend. We had a few things we needed to talk about."

A relieved look came to his face, and he nodded with a new found interest. "Did you have a nice time?"

"I did, thank you."

Ray straightened suddenly, and Felicity felt a warm hand press into her lower back. She didn't have to turn around to know that it was Oliver. The rest of his body came to stand by her side, his cologne swaying into the air surrounding her. She inhaled as subtly as she could.

"Palmer, how did the packing go?" Oliver asked, maintaining eye contact with him.

"It turns out I didn't have much to pack up," Ray answered, flashing his small smile yet again. "I guess I should be heading back to my seat now. Enjoy your dinner, you two."

"You, too," Felicity told him, feeling just a tad guilty about the hurt look in his eyes.

At the sound of Ray's voice again, her and Oliver stopped in their tracks to the only two available seats next to each other at the table.

"Hey, Felicity, can we talk after dinner?"

She turned around.

"Uh, sure," she agreed, feeling Oliver stiffen.

Ray just nodded, letting Felicity know it was alright for her to face the other way again. Her and Oliver walked over to their seats quietly, finally reaching them. Oliver pulled out her chair for her, sitting down only when she had sat down first. His fingers tampered with the napkin that held the silverware, and she could tell something was bothering him. She could bet money she knew what it was.

"Are you mad?"

"Do I have a reason to be?" he returned, sitting up in his chair.

"What would qualify as a reason?" she prompted.

He froze, and she knew she had him there. "I don't like him," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear him.

Walter's voice sounded just then, preventing her from answering him. Not that she had a clue as to how she would respond. Walter thanked everyone for coming, once again reminding them that their meal was completely paid for.

A waitress came around to take orders. Felicity stuck to something basic, being courteous of the charge. The food was delicious, and Oliver let her try some of his. He kept offering her more, and she told him to stop before she ate all of it. He would wait a few minutes before offering her another bite. The chuckle he gave each time at her exasperated expression showed her how amusing he found the whole thing.

During dinner, a few people actually talked to her, finally recognizing her as a vital piece of the company. She had a better time than she would have thought possible at what she could only classify as a company function. In the end, she was worn out from socializing with her coworkers and entertaining Oliver, who seemed to only be interested in talking to her. By the time people were starting to head home, it had completely slipped her mind that Ray wanted to speak with her.

She was halfway to the car, Oliver by her side with his hands in his pockets as he told her some corny joke, when Ray came bounding up to her. Felicity saw him, eyes widening in guilt.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she apologized, moving away from Oliver to meet Ray. "I completely forgot you wanted to talk afterwards."

"It's fine," he assured. "I'm just glad I caught you before you left."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Oliver begin to walk away. He was headed for his car that had just been brought to him, and she was not looking forward to what he would have to say once she finished things up with Ray.

"Well, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked, shifting in her heels.

"It hasn't exactly slipped my mind that you and Oliver came here together. I notice how he acts with you. And, I see the way you act with him. Forgive me, but I just have to ask. Are you with him? Is he why you don't want to go out with me?"

She paused, asking herself the same question. Unsurprisingly, she didn't have one. There was only one thing she was sure of about her and Oliver's relationship at the moment.

"He's my best friend," she finally stated.

Ray nodded, studying her carefully. "I like you, Felicity. You are the only girl I've ever worked so hard to get a date with. There's just something about you that tells me I shouldn't let you go."

"You're a very nice person, Ray. But right now, I'm not in a place where I should be dating. I have some things I need to work out first."

"I understand. You take all the time you need, Felicity. And when you figure things out, just give me a call."

"I will," she promised, shooting one last smile his way before walking back to the car.

Oliver was already in his seat, and he stayed silent as she got in the car. Surprisingly, he didn't question her about Ray. Instead, he switched on The Kin CD that was still in her stereo, filling the car with the lyrics of The One. Her eyes shut, making her realize how exhausted she really was. They drove on wordlessly, arriving at her house in what felt like no time. When he turned his car off, they sat there for a while.

"Can I come up?" he asked, staring at the steering wheel.

"Of course you can."

His lips curved upwards at the top, making her smile. They got out of the car, following the familiar path until they were standing in her house, door closed. There was something important that needed to be discussed, and now seemed like a better time than any.

"Oliver, we need to talk," she began.

"Is this about the merger?" he guessed, watching as she nodded her head. "I actually was planning on bringing that up tonight."

"Yeah? What happened?"

"You beat me to it."

She let out a breath, not knowing where to begin. "The rules were that the sex would stop as soon as the merger was over."

"Well, we did go into this thinking the merger was going to last a month," he defended.

"Does that mean you think we should leave things as they are until the end of the month comes?"

"Do you think that?" he countered.

She turned around, pacing her living room a few times. This really was a conversation they should be having when it wasn't so late and she wasn't on the verge of exhaustion. This was something they should discuss later, when she would be able to logically think things through.

"I'm tired, Oliver. Maybe we should have this discussion in the morning."

"I think you're right," he agreed, stepping closer to her. "And as for tonight..."

"You can pick," she said, stifling a yawn.

His lips upturned, hands clasping her shoulders from behind. He guided her to her bedroom, pressing her into a sitting position as he kneeled in front of her to remove her heels. Her eyes were fluttering shut as he rummaged through her drawers. There was a pair of white shorts and a green t-shirt in her bottom drawer, and he took them both out. Grabbing her elbows, he hauled her to her feet. His fingers tugged down her zipper, her feet instinctively stepping out of the dress. He pulled the green shirt over her head, and she pushed him away.

"Why are you _redressing_ me?" she grumbled, pouting in the most adorable way he had ever seen a person pout.

"If you think I'm going to take advantage of you while you're asleep, then you don't know me as well as you claim," he joked.

"Are you saying you don't have what it takes to wake me up?" she challenged, yawning loudly.

"Not tonight," he murmured, pulling back her covers. "Come on."

Much to his surprise, she obeyed without a fight. He leaned over her to cover her shoulders, and she pulled him down to her by his tie. His arms extended forward, saving him from nearly crushing her. Her eyes were closed, but he could tell she had caught his panicked reaction by the small giggle she let out.

His face hovered over hers, breath catching at the sound. Their noses brushed together, her face tilting upwards until their lips were touching. His eyes shut tightly as he dragged his lips over hers. She kept her grip on his tie, using it slightly to her advantage as she pulled him a little closer. It was a slow, lazy kiss, but it stirred something inside of him. When she pulled away, she bit her lip subtly, oblivious to the look of wonderment that he wore as he gazed down at her.

How was it possible for someone to be this beautiful?

She turned onto her side suddenly, making him lose his balance. He collapsed onto the bed next to the place where she was facing, the softness of the mattress making him let out a sigh. It was doing wonders for his muscles, but he knew he needed to start heading home. Before he got too comfortable, he started to get to his feet.

Her hand shot out to land on his chest. "Stay," she whispered.

He swallowed thickly, not even realizing how badly he wanted this until it became an option. He didn't need to think twice about it.

Sitting up, he untied his shoes. Once those were off, he stood to shrug his suit jacket off. His tie was then loosened and pulled off his head, slacks coming off along with it. He undid the buttons to his shirt hesitantly, wondering if it was OK for him to sleep next to her wearing just his boxers. Then, as if she could read his mind, she spoke.

"I've seen you naked before," she mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Right," he breathed, chuckling lightly as he slid the shirt off and set it on her dresser.

Slowly, he crawled into bed next to her. Once he was underneath the covers with his back flat against the mattress, her head came to rest on his chest. Her arm draped itself over his abdomen, lips muttering out his name so quietly, he almost didn't catch it. He stilled, body easing into the new feeling that coursed through him. Unconsciously, his fingers wove themselves through her hair, sending her into a deep sleep. A shaky breath escaped his lungs as his eyelids closed. He was out just as quickly, comforted by the even sounds of her breathing.


	9. Chapter Eight

There was a comforting warmth surrounding Felicity when she woke up. Her arms attempted to thrust forward in a stretch, hitting resistance in the form of a solid figure. Immediately, her eyes opened. Oliver was pressed into her, arms wrapped tightly around her midriff. Her head was directly under his chin, his stubble lightly grazing her temple when she drew back.

"Oh god," she breathed, realizing he was only in his boxers.

And where the hell were her shorts?

He stirred, making her stiffen in his arms. He pulled her closer to his body, murmuring her name into her hair. She waited, counting the seconds in her head, but he never woke up. Her body was pressed so achingly good against his, and she had to physically restrain herself from rubbing into him.

She needed to get out of there. She couldn't think when he was this close. This was the first time they had ever shared a bed together, and the rush of emotions that came with it struck her hard.

As carefully as she could, she lifted his arm from her body. He resisted at first, bringing her closer to him yet again. But her determination gave her the strength to keep trying until his arm was resting along the length of his body, and not draped over hers. After that, sneaking out of her bed wasn't as difficult as she had believed. Surprisingly, he was a heavy sleeper. She nearly tripped over her own two feet, steadying herself and glancing over at him.

He was out.

She left her room, shutting the door behind her with caution. Her eye caught the gleam of her purse when she turned around, and she raced over to it. Inside was her phone, still fully charged from the night before. Her fingers scrolled through her contacts, tapping the screen harshly when she found who she was looking for. It took five rings until the person on the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Sara?"

"Felicity? Why are you calling me this early? Is everything all right?"

"Oliver and I slept together," she blurted, beginning to pace around her living room.

"Am I supposed to be surprised here?"

Felicity ran a hand over her head, closing her eyes. "No, Sara. We _slept_ together, like in the same bed. Minus the sex! It was just cuddling and spooning and oh my god, what do I do?"

"Oh," her friend gasped, and Felicity knew she had her full attention. "Well, where is Oliver right now?"

"He's still in my bed. I got out of there and called you as soon as I could."

"OK, here's what you do," Sara advised, "Crawl back into that bed and talk it out."

"I can't do that!" Felicity exclaimed, remembering she was supposed to be whispering.

"Felicity, if you don't talk about it now, you never will."

Felicity sighed, knowing her friend was right. "OK," she agreed.

"Good," Sara replied. "I'll come over later and you can tell me how it went. I have to go right now though because I'm kind of in the middle of something."

There was a small moan from the other end of the phone, and Felicity shoved it away from her ear. "Ew, Sara! Are you having sex?"

"Bye, Felicity."

The phone cut off, leaving Felicity completely grossed out. She tossed her phone onto the counter near her bar stools, feeling as though it were infected or something. Her eyes shut as she gave herself a small pep talk. She could do this. She could get into a bed with Oliver Queen and just talk. It was possible.

Who was she kidding?

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, and she nearly jumped into the air. Oliver was against her back, kissing along her neck. She nearly sunk to the floor. She always loved the feeling of being held against him. And him sucking on her neck wasn't exactly helping matters.

"The bed felt empty without you in it," he murmured into her skin, tightening his hold on her.

"Did it now?" she asked, voice cracking towards the end.

"Mhmm," he nodded, sliding his hands underneath the cotton of her shirt. "You look really hot in this."

She looked down at her shirt. Crap. Of course she was wearing green. That was his favorite color. Plus, she still didn't have any pants on. Her hands reached behind her, drawing back quickly. He was still in only his boxers.

She needed to get away from him. There would be no talking getting done if he kept doing what he was doing. His tongue flicked over the column of her throat, causing her eyes to roll to the back of her head. The voice inside her head came back, scolding her. She moved out of Oliver's grasp, spinning around to face him.

"What are you doing?" he grinned, already moving forward to grab her again.

"No, Oliver," she denied, pressing her hand to his firm chest. "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?"

"Talk about last night," she answered, drawing her hand back.

"Look, I'm fine with us keeping things up until the end of the month. In fact, I am more than fine with it."

"What? No, I mean about us sleeping together. I mean, we shared a bed for the first time... _ever_ ," she reminded him.

"It wasn't that big of a deal, Felicity," he told her, furrowing his brows. "You wanted me to stay, so I did."

"So if I hadn't had asked, you wouldn't have stayed?" she questioned, trying to cover the stab of pain that pierced her heart.

"Felicity," he started, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Because I need some answers, Oliver. Things between us have changed since we started screwing, and don't you dare deny it."

He sighed, turning away from her. "OK, yeah. Things between us have changed. I don't think it's a bad thing though. It's actually kind of expected. Once we end things, everything will go back to normal."

"And you'll be OK with that?"

"Of course I will."

She nodded, trying to keep her tears from escaping. She would not cry in front of him. He had seen her cry on more than one occasion. He was there when her dog died, when her mom pressured her about finding love, and a million other times to wipe her tears away. But this was different. She was crying because of him. Turning around, she wiped her eyes.

She knew what she had to do.

"I think we should end things, Oliver."

"What?"

She didn't have to see him to know what his face looked like. His brow was probably creased, arms extended forward as he physically expressed his shock. Turning around again - once she got her emotions under control - she saw that she had been spot-on.

"We agreed to stop things once the merger ended. It's over now, and there's no reason for us to keep this up."

If he hadn't just told her he was OK with everything between them going back to how it used to be, she would have thought he looked upset. But no, she knew he was only upset because he was losing his quick and easy access to sex. He tried to reach for her, but she stepped out of his grasp.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

"No, you haven't done anything wrong. I just don't see the point in keeping this up."

She forced herself to realize the truth in her words. Oliver hadn't done anything wrong. He didn't promise to catch feelings for her. He didn't agree to fall in love with her. He went into this with the expectation of sex, and sex only. It was her who had screwed up. She broke her own promise.

And she hated doing that.

"OK," he finally said, backing away. "I guess I'll go get dressed."

She stayed quiet, watching him go into her room. She sat on her couch quietly, looking up when he came back out minutes later. He was dressed in his suit from the day before, and there was a sadness in his eyes that she convinced herself she was imaging.

"I'll see you at work, Felicity," he told her, giving her a tight smile before walking out of her apartment.

Felicity cursed in her head. It had totally slipped her mind that she had work today. That was the last place she wanted to be. However, she knew she had to go. If things between her and Oliver were ever going to go back to normal, then she needed to act like it. But for now, while she was behind closed doors where no one else could possible see her, she cried.

And it felt good.

* * *

Felicity showered, scrubbing away the scent of Oliver that seemed to have seeped itself into her skin. Her shampoo reminded her of him, her shower reminded her of him, her bedroom freaking _smelled_ like him. She got dressed into her favorite work outfit, needing to feel as normal as possible. The scent of him was overwhelming still. She ran over to her bed, tearing the sheets from the mattress. They fell to a heap on the floor, winkled and useless. The clock showed that she was already late for work.

There was no time for another breakdown.

She left her room, swallowing thickly. All she saw was the couch he had practically lived on, the bar stools where they had spent countless nights chatting obtusely, the floor where they had danced, the table where they had fooled around - to put it lightly- and the kitchen where he had cooked for her and licked sticky syrup from her skin.

God, he was everywhere.

Her last thought as she raced out of her apartment was that she was going to have to burn all of her things. Because her determination not to think about him was so persistent, she took the stairs instead of the elevators. For her to walk down those steep steps in three-inch heels really said something. Once she was near her car, she pushed away the image of him driving it.

The stereo blared The Kin at the start of the engine, and she nearly lost it. Instead, she turned the music off, driving in silence. It took her a while to get to work, but that was mostly because she kept debating whether or not to go back home. Eventually, she was pulling into the parking lot of Queen Consolidated, stepping out of her car. The door of the building opened with ease when she pulled it, her heels clacking against the tile with a purpose.

People looked at her with fear. They knew she was important here. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that this was exactly where she needed to be. Thankfully, there wasn't a line at the elevators. She stood in front of the doors, knowing they would open any second now. As they pulled apart, she came face to face with Ray. He looked up when he saw her, just as surprised as she was.

"Ray, I thought yesterday was your last day," she said, confused as to what he was still doing here.

"It was. I just came by to drop something off for Walter," he explained. "Are you just getting here?"

"Yeah, I was running a little behind," she flushed, making him smile.

"I've had those days." He eyed her, stepping out of the elevator. "I'm sure there's no point in me even asking, but its kind of become a routine for me." He chuckled. "Are you free tonight?"

This was it. This was her opportunity to start the long journey of getting over Oliver. Ray was a nice guy who really seemed to like her for some reason. He made more of an effort to have a relationship with her than Oliver ever had. The choice was clear to her.

"As a matter of fact, I am," she answered, watching the surprise fill his eyes.

"Are you, uh, really?" he sputtered, watching her nod. "Then, would you like to go out to dinner tonight? With me," he quickly added.

"Sure," she agreed. "Is seven o'clock OK with you?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll be there. Just give me your address."

"I'll text it to you," she assured, stepping onto the elevator that had refused to close with her body standing in the way. "Goodbye, Ray. See you tonight."

"See you tonight," he returned, grinning widely.

The doors came to a close, and she reflected on what she had just done. She was giving Ray a chance. He deserved that much. And if it really went bad, at least she could say she tried. When she arrived on her floor, her eyes searched for Oliver. He wasn't in his office. She walked into hers, not finding him there either.

Sighing, she sat down at her desk. Normally, she would be grateful for the lack of work. Now, sitting here in an office connected to Oliver's with glass walls, she would kill for something to take her mind off of things. There were some old cases she had been working on before the merger, and she dug them out of her system. Just as all of the tabs were pulled up, Oliver stepped out from the elevator.

His feet were leading him into his office, his eyes glued his phone. She licked her lips because he had somehow managed to change into one of her favorites of his suits. He glanced into her office, changing direction once he saw her in there. She smiled at him, stuffing down the urge to let her emotions show and pretending like she hadn't just been checking him out.

"Hey, where did you get off to?" she asked, standing up.

"I went to get some air," he answered, putting his phone in his pocket. "Laurel called."

"Ew."

He smiled at her, and she was instantly transported back to the night that had started this whole mess. She remembered having the same response about same person. The world was funny like that sometimes.

"She wants to grab dinner tonight," he continued.

"What did you say?"

"I said yes."

White, hot anger seared through her veins. If he were to be with anyone, Laurel was the last person she wanted it to be. They just weren't meant to be together. Also, the thought that Oliver had gone right back into another woman's arms not even an hour after they ended things hurt.

Then again, hadn't she just done the same thing with Ray?

He looked like he was about to say more, but she found herself beating him to it. It didn't really seem like her choice, because in no world did she ever imagine telling Oliver what she did. Yet, the words tumbled off her lips anyway, almost assuring her a slap of regret later.

"Well, that's good. I actually ran into Ray on my way up here. He's taking me out tonight."

Oliver's jaw clenched. It was an action that she had always found hot, and today was no exception. Her body temperature rose, and she backed onto her desk. A battle seemed to be raging on inside of him. His eyes darkened, and not in that secret way they did when she did something to direct his mind into a very private area.

When he took his first step towards her, her breath caught. He paused, seeming to be processing something. Her eyes studied him, watching as his closed and he exhaled calmly. Then, they were opening again, the sheer darkness of them making her tremble. He was on a mission as he strode over to her, closing the space between them in a few easy strides. His hand enclosed around her wrist, guiding her out of her office and towards a part of the floor she had never been to before. There was a single door that he brought them through, shutting it behind them and surrounding them in darkness.

Her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden lack of light. "Oliver, where are-"

"Storage closet," he cut her off, dropping down in front of her.

Her heart leaped into her throat as her senses heightened in the darkness. "There's a storage closet on this floor? I never even noticed. How is it that I-"

Again, she was stopped short. Only this time, it was of her own doing. Oliver had pushed her skirt up, spreading her thighs apart with his palms. His breath was hot on her skin, and her arms automatically extended towards him to steady herself using his shoulders. His lips attached themselves to the inside of her left thigh, his stubble scraping against her in the process.

"Oliver," she panted, needing to feel his lips just a little bit higher.

"Don't move," he ordered, continuing to lick and suck on the same spot.

She nodded weakly, though she knew he couldn't see it. Her head hung back limply, sucking in air every time his teeth came into the mix. It was hard to keep from squirming, but soon she was used to the swipe of his tongue and the warmth of his breath. The sounds he was making as he did this were erotic, and she was wondering who was finding more pleasure in this. After a couple of minutes, he pulled away, swiping a thumb across the wet skin.

"That should be good," she heard him mutter, right before starting the same process all over again on her other thigh.

The world crashed down on her as she realized what he was doing. This wasn't one last fuck in the storage closet. This wasn't his way of saying goodbye to the part of their relationship that only seemed to complicate things. No, this was him branding her. This was him claiming her as his own - which he had made perfectly clear this morning, she wasn't. For Oliver, this was his assurance that she would not be screwing Ray today.

That _bastard_.

She was pissed. She hadn't been planning on sleeping with Ray to begin with, but the fact that it would be impossible for her to do it now infuriated her. This wasn't Oliver's decision to make. She didn't belong to him, no matter what he had called into her skin that night where he was also being a possessive ass.

"Oliver, I know what you're doing," she breathed, feeling his smirk against her her thigh.

"Do you now?" he taunted, only adding to her frustration.

She closed her eyes, wanting to slap him, yet tilt his head a little higher, at the same time. "I'm furious with you."

"Then why aren't you stopping me?"

She paused, pondering the same question. What he was doing did anger her beyond belief, but she also found it an indescribable kind of arousing.

Oliver got to his feet suddenly, pulling her skirt down until it was back in its original place. She didn't question that Oliver knew what he had been doing. Those marks were surely high enough on her thigh to only be seen by someone who she would be getting naked - or damn near it -with.

She shivered as he stood in front of her, only able to see the whites of his eyes. She thought he was done, but then his fingers were working to undo the tiny buttons of her blouse, head dipping downwards to suck on the tops of her breasts. She moaned, hating that he had this sort of effect on her. She was trying to stay strong here, god dammit!

"Just to be sure," he murmured cockily, and all she wanted to do was fuck him senseless.

As he licked repeatedly over her soft skin, she carded her fingers through his hair. She told herself she was a horrible person, but she didn't really care at the moment. What she did care about, was explaining to Oliver what her expectations had been with Ray.

"I wasn't going to sleep with him, you know," she said, feeling him pause.

"I wasn't willing to take that risk," he replied, finally raising himself to his full height as her fingers fell from his hair.

Her anger grew since he apparently didn't think she could go on a single date with a guy without screwing him. "Were you thorough enough, _Mr. Queen_ ," she spat, some of that anger obvious in her words.

He responded to her snarky question by slipping a finger into her panties. She moaned loudly, falling into his solid form. She could smell his cologne on his suit, and boy, did it drive her insane. He moved his finger against her, hitching her breath with each stroke.

"You want me, Felicity," he observed, letting out a shuddering breath and speaking again before she could respond. "God, I want you, too."

As if to prove it to her, he thrust his hips into hers. She let out a whimper, feeling his erection pressing persistently into her thigh. Desperately, she reached down to touch him, but his hand caught her wrist to stop her.

"We can't," he reminded her, pulling away. "We're best friends; and after this morning, it was clear that we can't be anything more than that. Sleeping with you again wouldn't be fair to our friendship. I'm not going to do it; no matter how much I would like to. I want you to be happy, Felicity. If Ray makes you happy, then I want that for you."

"If that's true, then why did you mark me?" she asked, confused.

"Because the thought of you fucking Ray literally drives me insane."

She bit her lip to keep in the moan that threatened to escape when he cursed. He rarely swore like that, but she quickly discovered how much it turned her on. Well, it was a little too late now.

"I heard you correctly a couple nights ago, right? You said that I belonged to you and not Ray," she recalled, really wishing it was light enough for her to see his expression.

He didn't speak for a few moments, and she found herself holding in her breath until he finally did. "You will always belong to me in a way that no other guy will ever understand, just like I will always belong to you in a way that no other girl will ever understand. We're best friends, and our friendship is not one that is found often. When I'm with you, it's impossible for me not to be happy. I can tell you anything - and I do. Just the thought of losing that closeness with you... It's inconceivable, Felicity. So, despite the fact that I think you can do a million times better than Ray, I still want you to know that I'll be there to support you with whatever you decide."

"You're willing to accept Ray?" she questioned, her voice a low murmur.

"I'm sure it will always infuriate me, but I'll learn to tolerate it." She could hear his smile and feel the soft touch of his hand cupping her face as he added, "For you."

She grinned cheekily, glad he couldn't see her face. "You do realize that means you can't brand my skin anymore, right?"

She could feel his breath on her shoulder as he let out a light chuckle. "Hey, it bought me a few days to come to terms with everything." His tone was casual as he continued. "And besides, what would you have rather had me do: give you a couple hickies, or kick Ray where it counts?"

She laughed, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Is neither an option?"

"Not anymore," he replied, removing his finger from her panties to run it along the hickey on her left thigh.

She sucked in a breath at the loss of contact, imagining the smug smirk he was probably wearing. "It's going to be hard going back to a non-beneficial friendship."

"You have no idea," he muttered, pressing into her a little more forcefully so that she was reminded of just how affected these past few minutes had him.

"Yeah, you won't be able to do that anymore," she told him, letting out a laugh at his exasperated sigh.

"How did I ever manage before?" he groaned, making her laugh little louder.

There were a few moments of silence before she spoke again. "Hey, Oliver? Do you really think we can go back to being friends? Like before?"

He paused. "Felicity, there isn't a thing in this world that would keep me from being your best friend. I need you in my life."

"Someone should alert the media," Felicity breathed, feigning shock. "Oliver Queen is admitting to needing someone in his life."

Oliver chuckled again, waiting a couple seconds before telling her, "Of course I need you, Felicity. I wouldn't be Oliver Queen without you."

Just like this morning, she wanted to cry. The differences between these two moments was insane. It was crazy how their communication was so much better now than it was earlier. She actually felt confident that they would figure all this out. She was sure if he kept saying things like that, they definitely would. He said those sort of things to her so often, she should be used to it by now. Still, sometimes she forgot how sweet he could be.

He pulled away from her then, forcing her to let out a noise of protest as his body heat left hers. She heard him grab the doorknob, expecting him to just leave. That's why she staggered backwards when he lunged into her, bruising her lips with his kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth, hands scuttling along the expanse of her back.

She knew this was a goodbye kiss even though it was the opposite of gentle like normal goodbye kisses usually were. This kiss made her hungry and ache for more. She wondered if she would ever find a guy who could make her feel like Oliver did in just one kiss. The thought that she never would made her sad. When he broke away, her breathing was labored and coming out in short pants. It pleased her that he was in the exact same condition.

"Have fun tonight," he finally said, pausing on his way out the door. "And remember what I said, Felicity. He hurts you, and I'm going to kick his ass."

He left, stepping loudly so that she could hear him grow farther away. The door was cracked open, but she wasn't ready to go outside just yet. She was angry and confused and horny as hell thanks to him. Sure, she had been affected by his actions. However, it was his words that kept replaying through her head. Despite everything, he still only cared about her happiness. And the last part had been just cruel.

How was she expected to move on when he was saying things like that?

Shaking her head, she buttoned her shirt back up and left the storage closet. The bathroom was on the opposite side facing the closet, and she hurried for it. The door was locked shut as soon as she was safely inside, breath leaving her body in pants as she wondered if Oliver had seen her or not. She rolled her eyes, realizing how ridiculous she was being.

Approaching the mirror that hung above the sink, Felicity began to fix her hair. A few locks had fallen out of place, but it was an easy fix. She wiped the smudged lipstick from the edges of her mouth with a wet paper towel, making a mental note to herself to apply more once she was back at her desk. She was about to leave when she thought about what Oliver had done to her.

She needed to see how her skin looked after his thorough sucking. Reluctantly, she undid the buttons of her blouse, gasping as the marks came into view. There were three of them along her breasts; one on her left boob, and two on her right. Her fingers traced over the darkened skin, teeth unknowingly covering her bottom lip.

She really hated how turned on by this she was.

Since her curiosity still wasn't satisfied enough, she pulled her skirt up to see the other marks. They were similar to the ones on her breasts, however, a little darker. He had spent more time making sure these stuck around longer. She blushed, thinking about how close he had been to her.

The night he had gone down on her had been one she thought about quite frequently. He had been, without a doubt, the best she had ever had. His tongue was some sort of gift from God. There were more than one occasion where she imagined him doing it again to her. Remembering that part of them was over now, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

After trying to convince herself it was for the better, she decided it was time to step back out into the real world. She shouldn't be thinking about Oliver. What had happened in the storage closet had been a goodbye. Now, it was her turn to figure out the person she was a week ago. Ray popped into her mind, reminding her of how he could possibly help her forget all about her conflicting emotions towards Oliver.

That helped her nerves some. She left the bathroom, head raised high in case Oliver was watching.

Oliver was on the phone when she stepped out, his back to her as he overlooked the city. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she was thankful he was distracted. It was less embarrassing for her as she slipped into her office, trying to focus on her work.

Unfortunately, that call had to end, and Oliver was back behind his desk. Felicity blushed every time she caught him looking at her from the corner of her eye. For someone who was determined to just be friends with her, he sure loved showing her he felt the exact opposite.


	10. Chapter Nine

Sara came over to Felicity's house two hours before Ray was supposed to pick her up. Felicity had been reluctant about having her over, knowing Sara tended to go a little overboard when it came to things like this. But in the end, she couldn't imagine not having her friend there. Also, Sara had been planning on coming over anyway from their phone conversation that morning.

"Remember, you promised me lunch tomorrow so you can meet my love interest," Sara reminded her, being vague as ever.

"Yes, I'll be there, Sara," Felicity assured her. "Do you really think it's love?"

"I do."

"I'm happy for you," Felicity smiled, staring down at her hands as Oliver popped into her mind.

"So, you need to fill me in on _a lot_ ," Sara said, changing the subject as they sat huddled by the mirror in Felicity's bedroom, doing her hair. "When we talked on the phone this morning, you were all about Oliver. Now, I'm sitting in front of you getting you all dolled up for a date with Ray."

"I'm a mess. I know."

"Look, I'm in no position to judge, Felicity."

"Well, I talked to Oliver this morning about what we should do when the sex stopped and he said we would just go back to how we used to be. He told me he had no problem whatsoever returning to being just friends. And I... I want more than that. I deserve more than that."

"Damn right you do!" Sara enthusiastically agreed. "So where does Ray come into this? I thought he didn't even work at Queen Consolidated anymore."

"He doesn't. He was stopping by to give Walter something, and I happened to run into him. He asked me out again, and I couldn't think of a reason as to why I shouldn't accept."

"Did you tell Oliver about it?" Sara asked, straightening a strand of Felicity's hair.

"I did," Felicity nodded, hoping Sara wouldn't notice her harsh redness as she remembered his response. "I hadn't planned on it, but he told me he was going out tonight with Laurel. I was jealous and it just slipped out."

"But Laurel's dating Tommy," Sara recalled, confused. "Why would you be jealous?"

"Laurel's dating Tommy?!" Felicity exclaimed.

"Yeah, Laurel told me Tommy talked to Oliver about it yesterday. I figured he would have told you about it."

"No, he never mentioned it," Felicity murmured, slapping a hand onto her face. "Damn it, Sara. I didn't even give him a chance to explain. I just blurted out that I was going out with Ray tonight, hoping it would piss him off."

"Felicity, you had no way of knowing. Besides, he would have found out about you and Ray eventually."

Felicity frowned. She knew Sara was right, but the guilt just wouldn't go away. Again, the question of if Oliver was really just mad about her and Ray because they're rivals came up. She shook her head. Oliver had his opportunity to be honest with her. If he was upset about her and Ray for other reasons, it was his job to say something about it.

"So, what are you wearing tonight?" Sara asked, switching topics way too easily.

Felicity pointed towards a dress that was hanging up by her bathroom door. "I wanted to wear that, but thanks to Oliver, I-"

She stopped, blood draining from her face as she realized what she was saying. She really needed to think before speaking. Sara didn't miss a beat. She eyed Felicity, waiting for her to continue.

"What did Oliver do?" she asked.

"Nothing," Felicity lied. "I'm just having second thoughts about the color."

"He did you in that dress, didn't he?" Sara guessed, grinning.

"No!" Felicity denied. "Just let it go, Sara."

"Fine," Sara agreed, sensing her seriousness. "But if you're not going to wear it tonight, then can you at least model it for me? I bet you look so pretty in it."

Felicity paled, coming up with a response that would surely satisfy Sara. "How about I try on my number two dress?"

Sara nodded eagerly, allowing Felicity to stand up and step into the closet. A few minutes later, she stepped back out, giving her friend an exaggerated twirl. Sara laughed, standing up to view it better. It was a tight dress that hugged her curves nicely. It was sleeveless, but had thick straps that hid all of her cleavage. Sara's hands fingered the top of the material, her face contorted in disgust.

"The top isn't low enough," she told her, tugging down the dress in the front. "You've got to let the ladies breathe."

Felicity tried to stop her, but it was too late. Sara had pulled the fabric down just a little too hard, exposing the dark hickies that covered her breasts. Felicity slapped a palm to her face, preparing herself for the expected rant.

"OK, now I see why you went with dress number two. These look fresh," she observed, touching them before Felicity could pull away. "When did he do this to you?"

"After I told him about my date with Ray."

You would have thought Felicity told Sara she had won the lottery. Her whole face lit up in a toothy grin.

"So you tell Oliver you have a date with another man, and he brands you in your office?"

"It was a storage closet, actually," Felicity corrected, making Sara jump with glee.

"Holy fuck, I want your life!" she exclaimed. "I'm guessing that if he did the top, he..."

"Yes, Sara, there are hickies on my thighs," Felicity confirmed, knowing that's what she was asking.

"Can I see them?" she asked, making Felicity pull her dress up just enough for her to still keep her dignity. "Felicity, this is _so_ hot. Oh my god, I am so jealous of you right now. What happened after he did this?"

"He wished me good luck on the date and told me all he wants is for me to be happy."

Sara smiled, placing a hand on Felicity's shoulder like she always did before she said something serious. "Don't hate me for saying this, but I think you're happiest when you're with him."

Felicity didn't know how to tell her friend that she had come to that realization long ago.

* * *

Ray picked Felicity up exactly when he said he would. In fact, he was early. She could tell he was eager and way too nervous about everything. Sara had gone twenty minutes before Felicity left, missing the several times Ray nearly tripped over his own two feet on their way to the car. In a way, she was flattered. On the other hand, she missed Oliver's coolness even in the most nerve-racking situations.

Then, she was scolding herself yet again for thinking about Oliver. She just couldn't get him off her mind. The sheets from her bed had remained on her bedroom floor still, surprising Felicity that Sara hadn't questioned her about them. If she were ever going to say she gave Ray a real chance, she was going to need to stop thinking of Oliver.

Would it work? Probably not.

But it was worth a shot.

"Do you mind me driving?" Ray asked, following her out of the elevator.

"No, of course not."

He smiled with a nod, leading the way to his car. It was, of course, the nicest one in the parking lot. He opened her door for her, even allowing her to pick the radio station. She missed her CDs. There was never anything good on the radio. Even Oliver had kept some of her CDs in his car to play for when she was with him. She settled on a station once she realized she wasn't going to have any luck.

"Not a fan of the radio?" Ray guessed, seeing her distress from the corner of his eye.

"It's all crap," Felicity responded, watching as he laughed.

"What do you listen to then?" he prompted, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Anything that resembles some sort of actual meaning," she answered. "You know, Oliver and I used to have these little fights about music."

She wanted to say so much more. She wanted to tell Ray about how their fights would always end with Oliver shoving some headphones into her ear and shutting her up. She wanted to tell him about how there wasn't a single time where Oliver's choice of song didn't make her heart stop. She wanted to tell him about how every time she heard a new song she liked, she would play it for them on her phone while they shared a set of headphones. Instead, she stayed quiet, forcing her thoughts to stop.

"I'll listen to whatever is on," he shrugged, making a turn. "What about movies?"

"I like romance. Anything Nicholas Sparks related is usually fine by me."

"What about horror? I'm a _big_ fan of horror films. My cousin actually helped direct a horror film a few years back."

"That's awesome," Felicity told him, groaning on the inside. "I've never gotten into liking horror films though."

"Really? That seems a little impossible."

She stayed quiet. So far, things were not going as well as she had hoped. He was probably the exact opposite of Oliver. She just prayed things would improve as the date progressed. All she could do was hope for that as they drove to the restaurant, the only noise coming from the awful radio station.

* * *

Oliver was reluctant about agreeing to go to dinner with Laurel, but she had insisted. Apparently, she didn't believe him when he said he was fine with her and Tommy's relationship. She wanted to speak with him in person, with Tommy there as well. That's why he found himself driving to some unheard of restaurant later that evening, wishing Felicity was by his side.

These sort of things were always easier with her around. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the image of her and Ray out of his head. It was going to drive him insane, he was sure. When she had told him about their date, his self control had obliterated. He saw red, and all he wanted to do was show her she was his. Really, the only thing that kept him from finding Ray and kicking his ass was that it was his own fault.

Earlier that morning, Felicity had asked him about their relationship. She had noticed the shift in it as well, and was giving him the opportunity to admit his true feelings. Instead, he had thought about the consequences of them dating. He couldn't lose her. She was the only real good thing in his life. If that meant watching her fall in love with another man to keep her in his life, then he would do it.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket, and he took it out to see Laurel calling him. He unlocked the screen, answering the phone and bringing it to his ear.

"Laurel, I'm pulling into the restaurant right now," he told her, assuming that's what she was going to ask.

"OK, good. I was starting to think you weren't going to show."

"No, I'm here. I'll see you in a second, OK?"

He didn't wait for her to answer, turning his screen off and ending the conversation. After walking into the restaurant, he noticed several people milling around the tables. There was a bar against the far right side of the restaurant, and people danced slowly to a band on the opposite side. This was the last thing he was expecting. Laurel and Tommy waved him down, and he reached them, sitting at their table.

"Oliver, I'm so glad you came," Laurel said, placing her hand on top of his. "Tommy thought tonight was going to be a bad idea."

"Not bad," Tommy denied. "More like awkward."

"Well, like I told you yesterday, Tommy, I'm fine with it. Really," Oliver assured. "You guys deserve to be happy. I care very much about you both."

"OK, Tommy," Laurel began, taking a sip from her wine glass. "I didn't believe you, but now I see that it's true."

Oliver didn't say anything. Just because he was happy for them, it didn't mean he wanted to sit across from them at a table for a couple hours. They could have had this conversation in the parking lot or something.

"Well, don't you want to know how this happened?" Tommy asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Not really."

"It was the day after I went to see you about getting back together," Laurel began anyway, making Oliver heave a sigh. "I ran into Tommy at some sleazy bar downtown."

"Some jerk was trying to hit on her," Tommy contributed, still seeming bothered by it.

"And like my own personal savior, Tommy told the guy to back off."

"I got him kicked out," Tommy said, letting out a smug grin as he added, "After a good punch, of course."

"I won't give you the gory details, but we had sex later that night," Laurel continued, making Oliver grimace at the image. "Tommy stayed the night, and we went out for breakfast together to discuss what had happened."

"I told her I wanted to try a date with her."

"And so we went out and really discovered how much we connect."

"It feels right, Oliver," Tommy finished, Laurel latching onto his arm.

Oliver stared at them, feeling a pang in his heart as he thought of all the times Felicity had latched onto him like that. "Two of the most important people in my life are making each other happy. I'm glad."

They smiled at his words, seeming to get lost in each other's eyes. Oliver cleared his throat to snap them out of it, making Tommy shift forward as he attempted to change the subject.

"What's Felicity doing tonight?" he asked, sending a stab of pain through Oliver all over again.

"She's actually out on a date," Oliver answered, wishing he had a glass of scotch to soothe the dull ache inside. "With Palmer."

"Wait, Felicity as in your best friend Felicity?" Laurel asked, reminding Oliver of how little she knew about what had been going on the past few days.

"Yeah, Oliver kind of fell for her," Tommy explained. "Let's not get into that mess right now though. It'll just take too long to explain."

"Plus, I don't really want to talk about how much of a jackass I am," Oliver added.

"How did she end up with Palmer? I thought you guys were-"

"We ended it."

"When?"

"This morning. I had the opportunity to tell her how I feel about her, but I chickened out."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because the thought of losing her scares the hell out of me, Tommy."

Tommy nodded, taking a sip of his water before locking eyes with Oliver and saying the most impacting words he had probably ever said to him.

"She's out with another guy. It sounds to me like you've already lost her, man."

* * *

The restaurant Ray took her to was nice. It was very classy, yet not too intimidating. There were several people around their age there, and they were seated immediately. As they were handed their menus. Ray sparked up a conversation again.

"Have you been here before?"

"No, it's my first time," Felicity answered, skimming the menu. "What about you?"

"It's actually one of my favorite restaurants," he remarked. "You'll love the food here. It's amazing."

"Well, I'm looking forward to trying it then."

There were a lot of long silences that night. And not the comfortable ones she shared with Oliver where just being near each other was enough. These silences were awkward and consisted of several throat clearings. When the food was brought out, things got a little better. Still, all she could think about was Oliver. She was pretty sure his name had come up at least ten times that night, and it just seemed so natural to talk about him.

It was right about the time the waiters had cleared their plates away that realization struck Felicity. Ray had been ranting on about something that happened to him at work, and her mind started to wander. It drifted off into the place that stored memories of every person who had held some importance in her life inside little doors. Her fingers dragged along the labels with the names identifying which person belonged to which room. She stopped at Oliver.

Ray's face blurred out, images of Oliver flashing in her eyes. She saw him smiling, laughing, tilting his head like he did when something amused him secretly. She saw a montage of all the times he bought her a drink at Verdant. She saw all the times he had let her borrow records he thought she would like. She saw anything and everything that made Oliver Queen who he was.

"Excuse me?" Ray said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked, shutting her eyes to keep what was on her mind from showing.

"You said Oliver's name. I just didn't catch the part where we were talking about him."

Her face flushed. "I'm sorry-"

She cut herself off. Why was she apologizing? Why was she even on this date? There was only one place she wanted to be, and only one person she wanted to be with. She couldn't stay here on this awful date a second longer.

"I have to go, Ray," she told him, taking her napkin out of her lap and tossing it onto the table.

"What? You're joking, right?"

"No, there's actually somewhere that I need to be, somewhere I should have been all along."

"OK, well I did drive us here. Let me pay the bill and I'll drop you off."

Inwardly, she cursed to herself. She needed to get out of there _now_. Her heel tapped against the ground anxiously as Ray summoned the waiter over. He asked for the check, watching as the waiter went off in pursuit of it. Ray set Felicity with a look, obviously curious about what was making her like this.

"What is this thing that you're supposed to be at?"

Taking a deep breath, she decided that honesty was the best route to go here. Ray deserved at least that.

"It's Oliver, Ray. Yesterday when you asked what we were to each other, I might have lied a little."

"How little?"

"I'm in love with him," she answered, feeling more convinced now that she had said it out loud.

"I see," Ray replied, eyes widened slightly. "So, tonight was..."

"I was trying to move on. He doesn't feel the same way about me."

"Then why do you need to go find him?"

"Because I can't go on without telling him how I feel. I can't have any regrets," Felicity said, murmuring, "At least, not with him."

Ray sighed, nodding his head in understanding. "I wasn't the one, but Oliver is. You're an amazing woman, Felicity. You deserve to be happy."

Tears pricked her eyes, and she was once again reminded that Ray wasn't a bad guy. It was unfortunate that she couldn't retaliate his feelings, but she also wasn't going to pretend to like him just so that she could hang onto the small chance of a sliver of happiness.

The waiter returned with the check, Ray sliding some bills into it and handing it back. He stood up, Felicity following close behind. He drove out of the parking lot and onto the street, palms adjusting on the black leather of his steering wheel as he steadily increased in speed.

"What's his address?" he prompted, tapping some buttons onto the screen of his car.

"Just take me to my house," she instructed, earning a questioning glance. "If things don't go well, I'd like to have a way to get home."

Ray did exactly as she asked. They arrived at her apartment in a quicker amount of time than it took them to get to the restaurant. Felicity hugged Ray tightly, thanking him for everything he had done for her. She wished him well in the future, and told him she hoped they would cross paths again soon. Then, she was stepping right into her car, driving off in the direction of Oliver's house.

She knew the path by heart. Each turn made something inside of her flutter to life. Every second brought her closer to his doorstep, to him. Her foot pressed harder on the gas. His house came into sight minutes later, isolated in a large expansion of land. She remembered that he used to tell her of the parties he would have because his neighbors lived acres away.

His car was in the driveway, discarding her worries of him not being there. She parked crookedly and carelessly, knowing that the driveway was big enough for her to get away with it. Plus, Moira was living with Walter now and Thea seldom left Roy's house.

Her heels clacked against the rubble pathway as she ran, only adding to the excitement that flared in her stomach. Her fist raised to knock at the door, lowering with sudden hesitance.

A million thoughts raced through her mind. What if he rejected her? What if this ruined their friendship? What if they could never move past this? What if she knocked and another girl answered?

The inner voice inside of her made its appearance, sending those thought scurrying away. For once, it was being confident and telling her to go for it. She needed to do this. She had to.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her hand. Six times, her fist rapped against the hardwood of that door.

She waited.


	11. Chapter Ten

Felicity knocked six times. Her knuckles had collided with the thick wood of his front door, each one getting stronger as her courage grew. She counted the seconds in her head after that last knock, tapping her fingers together nervously.

_One... Two... Three... Four... Five..._

Then the door was being swung open, and everything that she had been planning to say slipped from her mind as Oliver's face came into view. She took all of him in, wanting to cry in relief because there he was; her best friend, her more than that, her everything.

His eyes scanned over her, mouth opening slightly. Their eyes locked. The world around her blurred until it was just her, him, and the doorway. Very slowly, her senses started to return to her. Her ears picked up the muffled sound of music playing in the background. The lyrics began to make sense in her mind, and if her heart hadn't already stopped with seeing Oliver, it definitely had now.

"You're... You're listening to The Kin?" she whispered, eyes watering as every single feeling she's felt for him came rushing back.

This was _their_ thing. This was _their_ band. This was _her_ Oliver listening to music that he without a doubt associated with her.

"Yeah," he responded, voice sounding just as small as hers had.

There was a pause before everything became suddenly clear to them.

Her body launched towards his, arms locking around his head as her lips crashed against his. He caught her, holding her so that every inch of her was pressed into every inch of him. Their lips moved perfectly in sync with each other, the feeling so natural to them, it required no thinking whatsoever. Setting her feet back on the ground, he pulled away from her to brush her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"I'm sorry that I went out with Ray. It was stupid, and horrible, and I made him drive me home in the middle of the date so that I could come here and see you," she rambled, trailing her fingers along his stubble.

"No, you have nothing to be sorry about. I was being a jerk this morning. It's just that... I can't lose you, Felicity. I can't."

His eyes closed as he shook his head, emphasizing to her just how terrified the thought made him. Her heart broke that he would even think such a thing was possible.

"You're not," she promised, kissing him again for reassurance. "It was more than just sex, right?"

"It was always more than just sex," he firmly assured. "I've wanted to be with you long before we started sleeping together. I was just too afraid to realize it."

"It feels so good to know that it wasn't all in my head," she breathed, making him laugh.

"It never is."

Before she could react, he swept her feet off the ground and into the air, holding her bridal style in his strong arms. She giggled into his neck, body rocking with each step he took. They found themselves in the living room of his huge mansion, the music so much more audible seeing as the stereo that was playing it was placed in that very room. Lowering his arms so that she could safely reach the floor again, he set her down with a smile that held more love than she could process at the moment.

He leaned in close, lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "Dance with me, Felicity Smoak."

Her breath caught as his hand found hers, his other one resting on her waist. Their bodies were pressed together, slowing swaying to the rhythm of Desert Rose. The scent of his cologne filled her nostrils, making her warm inside. Instead of his usual suit and tie, he was dressed in a white cotton shirt with jeans. The look was something she had seen him in many times before, and she always secretly loved it. It made him look more like the Oliver she knew him to be.

Time seemed to still, like they were the only two people left on the planet. No words were needed for them to feel how much the other cared. They let the music do the talking, getting lost in the moment even more so. The longer they went without speaking, the clearer the music became to Felicity. She smiled.

"This one's my favorite," she murmured, referring to the song. "The lyrics... they're so beautiful."

His grip on her tightened, and he sucked in a breath in a way that told her he was affected by her words. "This song was playing in the bar the first night we went out together. That's how I discovered them. I asked you to dance with me, and this song was coming from those cheap ass speakers," he recalled, shaking his head in a laugh.

Her heart stopped. "You never told me this."

He looked down, nodding his head. "I thought when I showed them to you again, you'd remember. When you didn't, I kind of liked that I got to keep that little fact to myself." His eyes bore holes into hers, almost as if he were attempting to transfer the memory into her head. "You described them the same way that night. It's comforting to know that even with everything that has happened these past two years, you still see this song as beautiful."

"There was a shift in our relationship that night," she informed him, eyes brimmed with tears at what he had revealed.

He nodded his agreement, stilling their movements as his brows furrowed. "I think that was the night that I realized it."

"Realized what?" she asked, her emotions battling with whether or not to cry or to ride him into the ground.

He got a far off look in his eyes before focusing in on her. "That I was in love with you."

There wasn't anything in the world that could stop her from kissing him at that moment. Her fingers wove their way into his hair, lips seeking his in a kiss that would make her knees weak. His tongue swiped across her lower lip, asking permission to deepen the kiss even more. Her mouth opened, allowing his tongue to slip through and meet hers. She moaned into his mouth, clenching her eyes shut as she cupped his face to kiss him harder.

She felt him pull away, opening her eyes to see his jaw set, lips parted as short exhales of breath left his mouth.

"What's wrong?" she asked, making him open his blue eyes into hers.

"I feel like we should discuss what we are now before anything happens," he explained, distancing himself by taking a hold of her elbows, and pushing slightly.

"We can talk later - after." She saw the restraint in his eyes, and thought about how all of hers had evaporated. "Oliver, I need to be with you."

And that was all it took for him to lose it completely.

He nodded to her wish, swooping his head to capture her lips with his own. This time, there was no holding back. He was fierce, determined, and kissing her with a hunger that only she seemed to settle. He cupped the back of her neck with his hand, making it easier to examine every inch of her mouth with his own. Her fingers hung loosely off of his forearm, her other hand gripping his shirt in a fist. Pulling away, he ran his hands over the sides of her face, warming her skin up further.

"Come on," he murmured, taking her hand in his own.

She followed him as he lead the way out of the living room and up the stairs. Her smile was permanently glued to her face, one hand coming up to hide it. She was so giddy and excited right now, she was embarrassed. Oliver seemed to be the same way as he looked behind him and allowed her to see the grin that was plastered onto his face.

When they reached his room, he spun her into his arms. Their lips locked, kissing until they could no longer refrain from breathing. Her fingers lifted up the material of his shirt, bottom lip being tucked under her teeth as she admired the taut muscles underneath. He whispered her name in a chilling way, moving his thumb to release her lip.

Moving in, she placed soft kisses onto his chest and up his neck. Her fingers curled into the waistband of his jeans, sliding around to meet in the middle. She found his zipper, and undid it slowly. His breath was on her neck, fingers trailing over the skin of her shoulders as he gave himself over to her. Without any force required, his jeans sunk to the ground.

Stepping out of them and behind her, he found the zipper of her dress. As the fabric was pulled apart with each tug of the zipper, Oliver's lips traced over the smooth skin of her back. She shivered as his hand cupped her face from behind, pushing her face to the side so that he could kiss her. Despite the weird angle, it was still one of the best kisses she had ever had.

Her dress fell to the ground in a heap, and he reached down to pick it up. Draping it over the backs of one of his chairs, he returned to her with a smile. She reached behind her to unclasp her bra, grinning as his eyes visibly darkened. His fingers slid under the straps of her bra, bringing them down the lengths of her arms and removing it completely from her body. Another cold shiver ran down her spine, and his brows furrowed as he stepped closer to her.

"Come on," he directed, guiding her underneath the heavy blankets of his bed.

She slipped underneath the thick wool and cotton, feeling as though she were drifting on a cloud. He stared down at her, a smirk on his face.

"I've never been in your bed before," she explained, burying the side of her face into one of his pillows.

"Well, you should get used to it," he responded, climbing into bed with her.

His body hovered over hers, head dropping low to kiss the parts of her skin she wasn't blocking as she slipped into a laughing fit. He found himself grinning just as much, fighting her as she tried to maneuver her way on top of him. In the midst of all the thrashing limbs and heavy breathing, his lips had found hers. She stopped fighting him immediately, bringing him with her as she sunk into the kiss. With no effort at all, his arms snuck under her back, pushing her into him.

She bit his lip when he ground himself into her, making him growl low in his chest. Seconds later, his boxers and her panties were discarded outside of the bed, leaving them completely nude. They touched and teased each other, confusing her because of how much it felt like it was to be her first time with Oliver. By the frantic way his hands explored her body, she knew he felt the same.

When the teasing finally halted, everything became suddenly real. Nothing could describe that moment when he first entered her. Sure, they had had sex plenty of times before. But this? This was something else entirely.

She felt herself unravel as he pushed deeper and deeper. She was unhinged, hanging on tightly to him because she didn't trust herself to let go. By the way his eyes had been locked with hers as he pushed in, she knew he was experiencing it as she was. There was something she had never seen before in someone's eyes swimming deep in his dark blue pupils. When she figured it out, it knocked the breath right out of her.

Love.

Oliver Queen was looking at her with love. The man who had been her best friend for the past three years was looking at her as if she were the only thing he wanted to see. Her hand caressed his face as she sent the same message to him. His eyes closed as he leaned into her touch.

This sexual experience was unlike any they had previously shared. There was no aggressiveness or rush. He took his time with her, intertwining his fingers with hers above her head. She took the time to appreciate every second of it; the way his breath caught, the way his hips rolled into hers, the way his free hand seared its print into the flatness of her stomach.

When the time arrived, they came together, whispering each others' names into the dimness of his room. Afterwards, he flipped onto his back, drawing her to his side. She fit so perfectly there; he had to smile. Imaginary designs were drawn into his chest by her fingers as her head snuggled further into the crook of his neck. She kissed him just below his jaw, and his eyes shut to savor it.

"This is nice," she said, curling her leg around his.

"It is," he agreed. "We didn't need that book, Felicity."

"It seems a little ridiculous now. Despite how hot our sex was with the book, this one time without it was my favorite."

His lips pressed into her temple, and she knew that was his way of agreeing. They stayed quiet for a little while, comforted by one another's breathing. His hand slid up and down her exposed arm, keeping it warm while the rest of her was covered by the blankets.

"You know, the first night we went out for drinks, I remember thinking about how strange it was that we hadn't gone out sooner. We were kind of fast friends, and it just seemed like something that we would have already done."

"When you asked me, I agreed without any hesitance whatsoever," she informed him with a chuckle. "That IT floor scared the crap out of me when you left at night."

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?" he asked, laughing quietly.

"I wanted you to think I was brave," she admitted.

"Felicity, you're the bravest person I know," he promised, brushing her hair back when she looked up at him with a smile. "Can I tell you a secret?"

She nodded her head. "Yes."

"That night," he began, exhaling lightly, "I wanted to kiss you."

She stilled, and his brain raced a million miles a minute as he tried to pinpoint the moment where he had said something to upset her. Then, her body lifted so that if he raised his head forward just a little, he would be kissing her. She looked into his eyes, and all he saw was the truth.

"I wanted to kiss you, too," she confessed, closing the space between their lips.

He hummed into her mouth, cupping her face as he sat up. Pulling away from her, he looked deep into her eyes.

"So, this it it? We're doing this, right? You and me?" he questioned, stroking his thumb across her cheek.

"Do you even have to ask?" she grinned, kissing him yet again.

She was pretty sure she would never get sick of doing it. Each kiss felt just as good as the last. They made her body tremble and her head spin.

She fell asleep that night, wrapped around Oliver Queen. Her head was on his chest, his arms locking her into place there. The last thing she heard was the soft murmur of her name from his lips. That's really all it took for her to drift off into the best sleep she would ever have in her life.

* * *

Felicity woke up to the feeling of Oliver fingers running along her arms. He was doing it so lightly, it made her squirm. He only laughed, trailing his fingers further down until they were skimming the skin of her thigh. Her knuckles brushed over his abdomen, stilling his movements. She giggled, loving how easily she could turn the tables on him.

"I like waking up to you," he murmured, letting his hand rest on her hip.

"It's nice, isn't it? This is how I woke up yesterday morning."

"Oh yeah," he remembered. "Then you left me there to wake up to an empty crater in the bed."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, feeling his chest vibrate with laughter. "I did not leave a crater in my bed!"

She smacked his chest playfully, screaming as he flipped her onto her back. His lips landed on her neck as his body hovered over hers. He left open-mouthed kissed down her throat and above her breasts. Her arms locked around his neck, her moaning softly.

"Stop," she breathed, not making much of an effort to push him away.

"Why?" he asked, continuing to suck on the spot above her collar bone.

"I have to get ready. I'm meeting Sara for lunch today. She would kill me if I cancelled," she explained, watching as his head lifted up.

"You're meeting her new boyfriend, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded, hands unconsciously cupping his face.

"Can I come along?"

The idea made her hop out of bed. She had felt a little awkward about meeting Sara's boyfriend by herself. She didn't want to feel like a third wheel. But now, she wouldn't. Quickly, she redressed, shaking her head at his sounds of protest. Then, she was racing downstairs, finding her cell phone. Once she found Sara's contact, she hit the call button.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sara."

"Felicity! I was expecting a call from you. How did things go on your date last night?"

Felicity glanced up, seeing Oliver descending from the stairs. He had sweatpants on, though he remained shirtless. The sweatpants hung low on his waist, a sight that was new but was quick to gain a reaction from her body. She groaned internally, turning around so that she wouldn't be distracted. She heard Sara repeat her question and snapped out of it.

"Can I catch you up later?" Felicity asked, sighing as Oliver's arms wrapped around her from behind.

"I... I thought this is why you called me."

"No, I actually called you to ask if Oliver could come along for our lunch date today," Felicity clarified, slapping Oliver's hand as it tried to run under her shirt.

"Oh," Sara said, and Felicity could practically see the smile spread across her face. "Enough said, Felicity. Of course he can come along."

"Thank you, Sara," Felicity replied, feeling her face heat up.

"No problem. Just know that you are going to tell me every little, dirty detail of what happened last night."

"I wouldn't dare think of doing otherwise."

"Good. I'll see you at 1:00," Sara responded, hanging up.

Felicity set her phone back onto the center table, turning in Oliver's arms to find him smiling smugly. "Oh, you thought that was funny, did you?"

"I like wounding you up," he admitted, shrugging a shoulder.

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Just for that, I'm not going to let you shower with me."

"Felicity-" he protested, watching as she slipped out of his grasp.

"Nope," she interrupted, climbing back up the stairs. "Maybe that'll teach you to have some manners when I'm on the phone."

As she walked into his massive bathroom, she couldn't help but wish he were there as well. Was anyone really winning in this situation? Shaking her head, she stuck to her grounds. He came into the bathroom just after she finished shampooing, letting her know that he was there only to deliver her a towel. In a moment of weakness, she called out his name to tell him to hold on. He was in the shower with her before she could get out much more than that.

After they were done showering, the water was shut off. The towel he had brought was large enough to wrap around the both of them, and she loved the slippery way his body moved against hers. She laughed as he ran the towel up and down her arms in an attempt to keep her warm. When he dragged a hand through his soaked hair making it stick up in every direction imaginable, she wanted him again immediately. He had only grinned because he had grown accustomed to detecting that look in her eyes.

Eventually, he had to leave her to get dressed. Since she hadn't brought any clothes with her besides the ones she was wearing from the day before, he let her borrow one of his dress shirts. Then, he stalked off into his closet, dressing into his usual former attire. When he returned into his bedroom, he found her sprawled out on his bed, wearing only his dress shirt.

"Felicity," he murmured, saying her name as if it were a warning.

"Don't tell me you've never seen a girl in a dress shirt before, Queen," she teased, rolling her eyes at how easy it was to get him going.

"Yeah, well you're _my_ girl in _my_ dress shirt," he responded, jaw set as he made his way over to her. "There's a difference."

Those clothes that they had spent so much time putting on were discarded into every nook and cranny of that room. If he didn't stop saying things like that, they were never going to leave that house.

He held her in his arms afterward, the tips of his fingers outlining her arms.

"Is it just me, or are we really good at that?" he asked, making her laugh.

"We are incredibly good at that," she agreed.

She could feel him smile, that triggering her own. He held her for a few minutes longer before resting his hand on her cheek.

"We really should get dressed - and stay that way," he added. "The last thing I need is Sara biting my head off for being late."

"Well, promise me you won't shred my clothes off for wearing your dress shirt."

"You promise me that you'll put something else on with it," he countered.

"Fine."

"Fine."

They both moved around his room, gathering up their clothes. He left her to change, waiting for her to finish downstairs. Once she was done, they headed out. They drove to her house in his car since they both planned on returning to his house after lunch. Felicity made Oliver stay in the car as she ran up to change, not trusting herself alone with him in her house.

They made it to the restaurant ten minutes before 1:00, walking in with their hands clasped tightly together. A few people stared, shocked to see Oliver Queen out with a woman that hadn't been mentioned at all besides those few articles that popped out after his break up with Laurel. He just held Felicity's hand tighter.

The restaurant was not too crowded inside. Of course, Sara had chosen one with a bar. She loved happy hour more than anyone Felicity had ever known. Felicity found Sara sitting at a table near the bar, deep in conversation with a woman. She lead Oliver over to the table, smiling as Sara's eyes locked with hers. Instantly, Sara was on her feet, bringing Felicity in for a rough embrace.

"How many times did you have sex this morning?" she subtly whispered into Felicity's ear.

Felicity just shook her head, expecting nothing less than a question like that from Sara Lance. When she was done hugging Felicity, she moved in to hug Oliver. Felicity took a seat at the table across from the girl, extending her hand.

"Hi," she greeted. "I'm Felicity Smoak. Have you seen him yet? Or is this your first time, too?"

"Seen who?" the woman asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Your boyfriend?"

Felicity blushed, that being the first time Oliver had been referred to as her boyfriend since it became true. She liked the way it sounded.

"No, I meant Sara's," she clarified. "She kind of set this whole thing up so that we could meet him."

The look on the woman's face confused Felicity more than ever. She laughed, gaining the attention of Oliver and Sara. Sara took a seat next to the girl, glancing cautiously at Felicity.

"Sara, where is your boyfriend?" Felicity asked, furrowing her brows at the woman who refused to stop smiling.

"Actually, Felicity," Sara began, taking a hold of the woman's hand. "My boyfriend is a girl. This is Nyssa, my _girlfriend_."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Felicity," Nyssa said, scooting in a little closer to Sara. "Sara has told me so much about you."

Felicity only smiled, at a loss for words. She felt Oliver's hand on her back, rubbing small circles into the skin there. Sara looked at her sympathetically, and Felicity saw the desperation in her eyes for her to approve.

"I know this is a shocker for you, but I never said I was dating a boy," Sara pointed out.

Felicity realized that was true. But even if it weren't, that would not matter. Felicity closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet the person Sara could not shut up about," she said, sending the mood into a flood of relief and joy.

"And it's nice to finally meet the girl who Sara answered a phone call in the middle of sex to talk to," Nyssa returned, grinning as though she had said something ordinary.

Felicity pressed her lips together in shock, eventually nodding her head. "Yeah, you are, uh... You're definitely right for Sara."

That made everyone laugh. They got through most of lunch talking and laughing. The more Felicity got to know Nyssa, the more she liked her. The most important thing was that Sara was happy - which she clearly was. And as if knowing that Sara was happy in her relationship wasn't great enough, Oliver was being absolutely perfect.

His arm never left its place across her back, and his other one extended across his lap so that it could hold hers underneath the table. She loved most that when he wanted to tell her something so that only she would hear, he would lean in to whisper it into her ear. The smile that had appeared on his face in the beginning of lunch never left his face. What was funny was that her smile seemed to be permanent as well.

"Nyssa, would you and Oliver mind getting us a couple of drinks?" Sara asked, giving Nyssa that pleading look Felicity had seen too many times before.

"Of course," Nyssa nodded, standing up. "Anything in particular?"

"Just beer," Sara answered. "Thank you."

Oliver gave Felicity a questioning look, Felicity shrugging her shoulders since she had no idea what Sara was up to either. Him and Nyssa walked over to the bar, exchanging words about something Felicity couldn't catch. Sara grabbed Felicity's hand to draw her close once they were out of hearing distance from them.

"What's going on, Sara?" Felicity questioned, lowering her voice.

"What do you mean? You know exactly what's going on! This is the part of the date where we talk about what we think about each other's significant others!"

"Well, considering how I've never met one of your _significant others_ , I think you'll understand why I was a little confused."

"OK, we don't have time to discuss how confused you feel. They'll be back any minute now, so lay it on me," Sara ordered.

"What exactly am I supposed to say?"

"Tell me what you think! Tell me if you like her, if you hate her, if you don't have an opinion-"

"I like her," Felicity interrupted.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's great, Sara. You seem really happy."

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Felicity," Sara told her, covering her hand with her own. "And since you haven't asked me already, I approve."

Felicity hung her head in relief, not knowing how much she was seeking her friend's approval. "I know it happened fast, but it just feels so right."

"I'm sorry, Felicity, but this relationship happened the opposite of fast."

"What?" Felicity scoffed.

"Look, I always thought there was something off about your relationship. It just didn't seem possible for Oliver Queen to have a female best friend without sleeping with her. Remember when we first met? I thought you guys were screwing. Hell, so did half the town. Now that its finally happened, I'm not all that surprised."

"You seemed surprised on the phone," Felicity pointed out, though she could see the truth in Sara's words.

"Only because I thought you had gone home with Ray last night."

"Yeah, right. I could barely eat with the guy, let alone sleep with him."

"Speaking of sex..."

"Incredible."

"Same."

They laughed, sitting up as Nyssa and Oliver returned to the table. He set the bottle down in front of Felicity, taking his seat next to her once again. He leaned in so that his lips were brushing the shell of his ear. She fought off the shiver that threatened to run down her spine from him being so close, and tried to ignore the stares Nyssa and Sara were giving her.

"I hope nothing bad was said about me," he murmured, drawing back so that she could see the humor in his eyes.

"Of course not," she assured, flushing in embarrassment because he had known exactly what they had been talking about.

He nodded at her, sparking up a conversation with Nyssa. Sara raised her eyebrows at Felicity, furthering her embarrassment. She shook her head to ward it off, focusing in on what Oliver was saying. Thankfully, Sara listened in, too, allowing the redness in Felicity's cheeks to die down.

Oliver's hand found its place back with hers under the table, and that darn grin returned with it.


	12. Epilogue Part One

_Five years later_

"Morning," Oliver murmured, opening his eyes into Felicity's blue ones.

She smiled, scooting forward to peck his lips. "Good morning."

His arm wrapped around her body, turning her around, and pulling her closer to him. Her back was pressed against his front, his head tucking itself into the crook of her neck. Their hands interlocked at her waist as he quickly kissed her cheek.

"What time is Sara picking you up?" he asked, closing his eyes as the warmth of holding her so close surrounded him.

She glanced at the clock, groaning. "In an hour."

She turned in his arms, scrunching her nose as his lips attacked her face. Her laugh was contagious, and soon he was hovering over her, lips covering hers so that all he could hear was the pleased hum she let out. Her hands cupped his face as she stroked her tongue against his. She slid a hand down his body, it disappearing underneath the cool sheets. Pulling back, he caught her hand in his.

"Not yet," he reminded her, giving her a warning look.

"Oliver, its been a month," she whined, making him smirk down at her.

"So one more day won't make a difference," he told her, climbing off of her. "It will just make tomorrow all the more special."

His feet were touching floor, though he remained sitting on the edge of the bed. Felicity stood up on her knees, moving across the mattress to him. Her arms wrapped around his shirtless torso, lips kissing his shoulder.

"I can't believe we're getting married tomorrow."

That put a grin onto his face. Every time someone said it out loud, it sent a wave of happiness over his body. It made it feel more real, which was perfect considering how marrying her felt like a dream. He expected at any moment for someone to break through this happiness and tell him it wasn't real. But he'd had that feeling ever since she came into his life. Everything about her felt too good to be true.

"Tomorrow is just the beginning for us," he promised, kissing her hand.

"God, Fiji is going to be gorgeous," she sighed, leaning into him.

"It's the perfect honeymoon spot," he agreed, smiling lightly.

Standing up, and causing her hands to drop from his chest, he headed for his closet. He stepped out moments later, pulling a white cotton shirt onto his body. Shaking his head at the noise of protest she let out, he left her to get ready.

Half an hour later, she was joining him downstairs, serving herself some pancakes. Her hands reached for the brand new bottle of syrup that was on the counter, drizzling it onto the stack. He sat at the island that was in the center of the kitchen, amusement dancing around in his eyes. She stopped pouring, setting the bottle back down.

"What?"

He gestured at the syrup bottle with a jut of his head, a smile shadowing his lips. "It has twenty-five percent less sugar."

She flushed, instantly transported back to that morning all those years ago when she had told him the exact same sentence. He just chuckled, standing up to clear his plate. On his way to the sink, he leaned over to kiss her. The taste of syrup on his lips made her stomach flip with want.

And not just for the food.

"It tastes even better than the original," she remarked, using the response he had given her that same day.

He just smiled, beginning to wash the dishes. She took a seat in the chair he had been in, cutting her pancakes into small pieces. Her eyes kept drifting over to him, until she eventually gave up and focused on his backside. She watched him, watched the movement of his muscles underneath his shirt as he scrubbed each dish, wondering how she had gotten so lucky.

"What are you and the girls planning on doing today?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Sara's taking us to some restaurant," she answered, shrugging as she shoved a bite of the pancake into her mouth. "I've never heard of it."

"Well, don't get too crazy," he warned. "The last thing I need is for you to be hungover on our wedding day."

She laughed at the idea. "So if I trip on my way down the aisle, you won't catch me?"

"Of course I will," he assured, glancing at her. "Then, I'd throw you over my shoulder and carry you the rest of the way down the aisle."

The grin that overtook her face made her happy he was turned around so that he couldn't see. The fact that he could make her face light up at even the smallest of things always added to his ego. And smugness was the last thing he needed.

"What are you and the guys doing tonight?"

"I told Tommy to keep things simple. He's picking up some beer and we're going to watch football here."

"No strip clubs?" she prompted, watching as he turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"No," he answered, turning off the faucet and drying his hands. "No male strippers for you?"

"Well, you never know with Sara."

"Very true," he agreed. "Just promise you won't forget you have a fiance."

"I can't make any promises," she teased, making him raise his head in question. "I haven't touched a guy in a _really_ long time."

OK, that was a lie. There had been touching - and a _lot_ of it. There just wasn't any touching between a certain part of him and a certain part of her. There was the one time they dry humped, but the barrier of clothing kind of took all the fun out of it. Plus, it brought on a lot of high school flashbacks that she preferred to forget. And not to say that it hadn't been enjoyable, because it had. She just really missed the feeling of him inside her.

Getting lost in the fantasy of that, she almost didn't notice his approach after her previous spoken words. She was in his arms within moments, his lips searing into hers. She wove her hands into his hair, bringing him impossibly close to her. When he pulled away, her brain was completely fried. She always wondered how he could do that to her with just a kiss.

"I promise tomorrow will involve a whole lot of touching," he said, eyes darkening at the thought.

"Sounds perfect," she whispered, kissing him once again.

There was a sudden knock on the door, drawing them away from each other. They both groaned, Oliver obediently going to answer it. From where Felicity stood, she could see who was at the door when it was pulled back. However, she knew who it was without even looking.

"Oliver," Sara greeted, giving him a hug. "You ready for tomorrow?"

"More than you know," he responded, stepping aside so that she could enter.

"Felicity!" Sara exclaimed, running up to give her a hug as well. "You ready for a night to remember?"

"Well, it sure sounds tempting, but I'd appreciate it if you kept things PG-13 tonight."

She scoffed, looking at Felicity as if she had just grown two heads. "You can't be serious."

"But I am," Felicity grimaced, sucking air through her teeth. "I can't get too drunk tonight."

"Felicity, this night is going to be so awkward without alcohol. I mean, do you really want to sit in a room with Oliver's ex-girlfriend, his little sister, and my lesbian lover sober?"

"No, but-"

"Great, so it's settled. No plans will be changed," Sara decided, lowering her voice before speaking the next part. "Now, let's get out of here. We still have to make that one little stop you requested."

"OK, just give me a chance to say goodbye to my fiance," Felicity told her, moving to the archway where Oliver was standing.

"You'll see him tomorrow," Sara protested, yanking her away from Oliver's direction. "We really have to stay on schedule here."

"Sara, you came thirty minutes early," Felicity pointed out, escaping her grasp and slipping into Oliver's arms.

Sara pretended to make gagging noises as they made out like teenagers. That only made them laugh until Felicity took pity on her and pulled away.

"Love you," she told him, running a thumb across his stubble.

"Love you, too," he returned, giving her one last kiss before letting her go.

"You guys make me sick," Sara groaned, shutting the door behind her and Felicity.

* * *

Oliver hadn't planned on the guys coming over until much later that evening. That meant that he had plenty of time to himself to spend working out. Grabbing a water bottle from the fridge and a sweat towel from the linen closet, he headed down into the basement where he kept his personal gym. The remote was right where he left it by the treadmill, and he clicked a button on it so that the TV was displaying a clear image of his walkway.

When he was down in the basement, it was impossible for him to hear anyone knocking upstairs. The security camera made it perfect for him to monitor the door in case anyone stopped by. His iPod was resting in the holder on the treadmill, and he put his headphones on. Music blared in his ears as he started the machine. Within minutes, he was speeding on, lost in his own world of concentration.

His workout session was cut short by Tommy's car pulling up in the driveway. Oliver's brows furrowed as he pulled out his headphones and stopped the machine. He wiped off his chest with the sweat towel, swigging back some of his water. Tommy stepped out of the car, removing his sunglasses as he walked up the driveway. Oliver could hear the insistent pounding as he strode up the stairs. Tommy's grin expanded as Oliver opened the door.

"Hey, buddie," he greeted, throwing an arm over Oliver's shoulder.

"Tommy, I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours," Oliver said, trying to act happy to see his friend, though he was really frustrated he didn't get a chance to finish his workout.

"Well, I had to come early because I realized you're only a free man for a little while longer, and every minute needs to matter."

"I told you no strip clubs," Oliver reminded him.

"Oliver, I would never take you to a strip club in the middle of the day," Tommy scoffed. "No, we're going to round up the rest of the guys and then we're going to Verdant."

"I thought we agreed to do the drinking here."

"And we will," Tommy promised. "Just think of this as your pre-drinking experience." Tommy grinned at his own words. "Plus, Jeff said drinks would be on him tonight."

"Who the hell is Jeff?"

"You're kidding, right?" Tommy saw that he was serious, and rubbed a hand over his face. "Oliver, Jeff has been the bartender at Verdant for over twenty years. How is it that I know this and you don't?"

Oliver shook his head, feeling guilty. "I guess he never told me his name."

"Or, you were too busy staring at Felicity to ask for it," Tommy taunted, slapping his friend on the back again. "C'mon, let's get going."

Oliver shrugged Tommy off, heading up the stairs to his room. He threw some explanation of needing to shower quickly over his shoulder, hearing a heavy sigh from Tommy. Oliver went into his bathroom, showering and then getting dressed for the day as soon as possible. He knew Tommy was excited, and he didn't want to keep the rest of the guys waiting.

Fifteen minutes later, they were out of his house and on the road. They stopped by Roy's trailer to pick him up, seeing as he was the only one who didn't have a car. When they arrived at Verdant, Oliver was surprised to see that they were the only ones there. He turned to Tommy for explanation, but Tommy merely shrugged his shoulders.

Inside, there were streamers and a giant banner that read 'Bachelor Party' hanging above the bar. How original. The bartender, Jeff, grinned at Oliver when he walked in, setting down the glass he had been drying to step around the bar.

"Oliver, how does it feel knowing today is your last day of freedom?" Jeff asked, his tone teasing as he shook Oliver's hand.

"If anything, I'm more excited to be married than to be, well, unmarried for one last day," Oliver admitted.

"She's one lucky lady," Jeff told him, moving on to greet Tommy and Roy. "Hey, guys."

"Jeff, I see you closed the bar for the day," Tommy observed. "You didn't have to do that."

"It was my pleasure. I'm closing it tomorrow, too."

"Tomorrow?" Oliver repeated.

"Yeah, for your wedding. I wouldn't miss that for the world. When Felicity gave me the invitation, I cleared my schedule immediately."

Guilt hit Oliver hard. Felicity had invited this man to their wedding, and Oliver didn't even know his name.

"That's great. We were really looking forward to you coming," Oliver said, promising himself to be extra appreciative of Jeff tonight.

"That means a lot," Jeff smiled. "So, how many more people are we expecting?"

"Just two," Tommy answered.

"Actually, it's three," Oliver corrected, watching as Tommy furrowed his brows.

"I thought it was just Diggle and Floyd?"

"No, I invited Walter also."

"You invited your step-dad to your bachelor party?" Tommy scoffed, making Oliver nod his head slowly. "Is your mom at Felicity's bachelorette party?"

"No, but she was invited," Oliver informed him, watching him shake his head. "He's a good guy, Tommy."

"Yeah, I know. I just don't want to put on that act I do whenever adults are around."

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. "Maybe in this case, it will be a good thing."

They sat along the bar, watching as Jeff filled up a glass full of whatever they wanted. The guys laughed as they bonded, all really enjoying themselves. However, Oliver couldn't help but wonder how things were going for Felicity.

* * *

"You have to wear it," Sara ordered, trying to place a veil on Felicity's head.

"Sara, I don't want to," Felicity protested, weakly fighting her off.

Nyssa, Lyla, Laurel, and Thea surrounded Felicity, giggling among themselves. Sara had taken them all to some restaurant known for their great happy hour drinks - which was typical Sara. She had requested an endless flow of champagne, and the ladies were definitely taking advantage of that.

Laurel had drunken the most so far, but it made her easier to be around, so they didn't stop her. Lyla couldn't drink because she was in the midst of a pregnancy scare. She had yet to tell Diggle until it was officially confirmed. Nyssa was drinking nearly as much as Laurel, but it didn't seem to have an affect on her. Thea was drinking slowly, knowing how reckless she could get when she became too intoxicated. Then there was Sara, who was more focused on pouring the alcohol down Felicity's throat than her own. It wasn't even dark out yet, and Felicity could already feel her vision weakening around the ends.

"I'll leave it on for an hour, OK?" Felicity bargained, watching as Sara grinned in agreement. "God, you are so difficult."

"I have an idea," Laurel announced, clapping her hands together giddily. "Why don't you tell us the story of how Oliver proposed?"

Felicity blushed, flashes from that night instantly replaying in her mind. "You guys wouldn't understand it."

"Yeah, good luck trying to get that one out of her," Sara said, widening her eyes. "I've tried countless times to get to the bottom of that story."

"Oh, come on, Felicity. Tell us," Nyssa begged, the rest of the group pleading with her.

Felicity didn't know what it was - probably the four glasses of champagne she had chugged down - but she couldn't think of a reason not to tell her friends this story. Leaning back, she put a huge grin onto her face. The women immediately silenced, sensing that she was about to speak.

"Well, as you all know, this happened six months ago," Felicity began, fingers playing with her ring as she recalled the story. "Oliver surprised me with reservations to my favorite restaurant, and when we got back to our house, he asked me if I wanted to play a game."

"What kind of game?" Sara asked, literally sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Was it like a role-playing thing?" Lyla guessed.

"I was just about to ask that!" Laurel exclaimed, finishing another glass.

"No, it was Monopoly," Felicity told them, knitting her brows together at their dirty minds.

"Monopoly? Why that?" Thea asked.

"It's kind of a long sto-"

"They fucked on a Monopoly game board in the early stages of their relationship," Sara blurted.

"You weren't supposed to repeat that, Sara," Felicity grit, blushing furiously as all the attention and looks of astonishment fell upon her.

"Hot," Nyssa complimented, saluting her glass to Felicity. "One time Sara and I did it on top of a-"

"Can we please get back to the engagement story?" Thea cut Nyssa off, on the verge of covering her ears.

"Right," Felicity remembered, trying not to think too hard about how Nyssa's sentence could have ended. "So, he sets up the game on our living room floor, and The Kin is playing softly on the record behind him."

"Who's Ken?" Laurel asked, looking lost.

"What? No, I said The _Kin_ ," Felicity repeated, enunciating her letters more. "They're a band."

"They sang the song that Felicity and Oliver danced their first dance ever to," Sara further explained, making the rest of them nod their heads in understanding.

"Anyways, we're playing for almost an hour, and the whole time Oliver is doing that thing with his hands that he does when he gets nervous," Felicity continued, reenacting the movement with her own hand. "I kept asking him what was wrong, and each time he would shake his head. Every time I would roll the dice though, he would bite his lower lip nervously. He said nothing was wrong, so I didn't press him."

"Oliver nervous? I can't imagine that," Thea laughed, the other murmuring in agreement.

"Those were my thoughts exactly. I seriously thought of getting help when I landed on the 'Chance' square and his face went completely pale. I picked up the card anyway, flipping it over to find 'Will you marry me?' scrawled out across the back. I remember feeling my heart stop."

"That is the most romantic thing I've ever heard," Lyla said, eyes laced with tears.

"What happened next?" Laurel prompted, looking as though all she were missing was a box of popcorn.

"Well, we-"

"Can I say it?" Sara interrupted, already guessing what Felicity was going to say next.

"Sure," Felicity sighed, refilling her champagne glass.

"They fucked on the game board!" Sara exclaimed, earning stares from the other people in the room.

She was oblivious to it though, instead grinning like an idiot. Felicity just shook her head, trying to hide her embarrassment behind a drink of the fizzy substance. Thea looked grossed out, while the rest of them doubled over in laughter. Nyssa shot Felicity a thumbs up, sending her approval once again. Felicity poured a little more champagne into her glass, knowing she was going to need it.

"God, I bet you miss that," Sara sighed, ending the laughter as the group grew curious once again.

"Miss what?" Felicity questioned.

"The sex," she explained, saying it like Felicity should have known.

"Wait, you and Oliver aren't having sex?" Laurel asked, jaw dropping.

"You guys don't know about this?" Sara gasped. "Oliver and Felicity decided they wouldn't have sex again until their wedding night."

"Oh, you poor thing," Nyssa frowned.

"When did you decide this?" Laurel pressed.

"A month ago," Felicity answered. "It's been... tough."

"How have you survived?" Nyssa said, hand on her chest like Felicity was telling her something life-altering.

"Well, we have been doing _other_ stuff," Felicity explained, shrugging her shoulders before sipping her champagne.

"What kind of other stuff?" Nyssa continued, eyebrows raised in hope of details.

"You know," Felicity murmured, looking off to the side. "There has been some... oral stuff."

"My ears," Thea groaned, clenching her eyelids shut.

"This is why you're my best friend," Sara decided, waiting for the commotion to die down again. "Oliver is one lucky man."

"And so is she," Thea pointed out, recovering from the image of her brother and his soon-to-be wife doing the unspeakable. "He's taking her to Fiji for their honeymoon."

"Ooh," they fawned, making Felicity blush.

"I know, he spoils me," Felicity blushed. "A whole week away from this place sounds perfect."

"I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say I'm so fucking jealous of you right now," Nyssa slurred, showing the first sign that the alcohol was hitting her.

They laughed, warmed by the moment they were all sharing. Felicity grinned. Not only did she have the perfect man, but she had the perfect friends as well.

* * *

The guys came back to Oliver's house once it started getting dark out. Tommy was pleased to remember he had stocked Oliver's fridge the day before with plenty of beers. Oliver was determined not to drink too much, keeping in mind that being hungover on his wedding day was the last thing he wanted. That didn't stop Tommy from shoving beers into his hand. Surprisingly, he got away with leaking the beer into the sink when Tommy wasn't looking.

Walter had stopped by when they were at the bar, but left shortly after. He told Oliver he had to get back to Moira who was still debating between two dresses for tomorrow. Now, it was nearly eleven o'clock at night, and they were all sitting in the living room, listening to Diggle talk about how he wanted to start trying for kids with Lyla.

"I don't know," Diggle sighed, splaying his hands out to the side. "I just feels right, you know?"

"Oh, tell me about it," Tommy agreed, swallowing the last of his beer can. "Laurel and I are probably going to be following Oliver and Felicity down that aisle tomorrow."

"Things with Thea are going great," Roy said. "I don't know about marriage or kids yet though."

"Yeah, let's hold off on that for now," Oliver advised, making the guys crack up.

There was a loud knock on the front door, sobering the guys for a second. Oliver stood up to answer it, leaving the guys behind in a round of laughter. He pulled open the door, nearly being tackled to the ground as a body was hurled against him. Warm lips landed on his, shaky arms coming to wrap around his neck. Oliver pushed back, eyes focusing enough to figure out who it was.

Felicity.

"Felicity, what are you doing here?" he asked, glancing behind him to see Sara leaning against the door frame.

"She said she'd drive here herself if I didn't take her," Sara said, crossing her arms.

"I wanted to see you," Felicity explained, bringing his mouth back to hers in a bruising kiss.

He groaned into her mouth, her tongue pushing past his lips. But she was drunk, and he didn't feel right about it. Especially not with four guys in the next room and her best friend just a couple feet away. Oliver released her arms from around his neck, pulling away from her.

"Why is she so drunk?" he whispered to Sara, as Felicity draped herself over him.

"We were just trying to make sure she had a good time," Sara answered, looking guilty. "I'm sorry."

Oliver sighed, looking at Felicity with a smile. His eyes went back over to Sara, starting towards her and bringing Felicity with him.

"Just sober her up, OK?"

"Of course," Sara nodded, wiping her hands on her pants.

Oliver turned to Felicity, cupping her face. "Hey, Sara is going to take you back with her now."

She loud out a noise of protest. "But I want to stay here, with you."

"I want that, too, but that can't happen tonight. How about you let Sara take you back to her place, and then you can call right before bed?" he suggested.

She nodded. "Fine."

"OK, good," he smiled, pecking her lips. "And guess what?"

His voice had lowered as she grinned. "What?

"We're getting married tomorrow."

"We are," she confirmed in a whisper, kissing him one more time before he handed her over to Sara.

"Sara," he called, making her turn around before she had gone completely. "Thank you for giving her a good time."

She smiled, closing the door. Oliver took a few minutes before walking back out into the living room.

"Who was it?" Tommy asked, making the others turn to look at Oliver as well.

Oliver just shook his head, dismissing the question. Though Felicity was drunk and probably wouldn't remember coming here at all, it was a memory he wanted to keep to himself. Plus, it was going to be great to tease her about it in the future.


	13. Epilogue Part Two

Oliver woke up to find Tommy sprawled out across the foot of his bed with an empty beer bottle in his hand. The mattress creaked as he crawled out of bed, shaking his head at Tommy's stiff figure. The wood was cold against his feet as he padded out of the room and down the hallway. Beer bottles filled to various points lined the stairs, making Oliver question just how many people had really been in his house the night before. Oliver picked up as many as he could carry, making his way into the kitchen.

Snoring came from the living room, and he didn't have to think twice about what it looked like in there. The bottles clanked together as he discarded them into a white trash bag. Oliver grabbed a rag, wiping down the sticky stains that splotched the granite counter-tops. There was movement in the kitchen archway, and he looked up to find Diggle standing there, arms crossed.

"Oliver, it's your wedding day. You shouldn't be cleaning."

"Well, Felicity shouldn't have to come home to a messy house," Oliver reasoned, continuing in his rough scrubbing.

Diggle stepped forward, setting his hands on the counter. "Let us take care of it. You didn't make this mess, and even if you did, last night was your night. You get a free pass on this one."

Oliver's lips curved slightly as he stopped his movements. Diggle took over the cleaning, Oliver lingering a few seconds to make sure he was OK with it. In all the time Oliver had known Diggle, he had never seen him clean. After everything Diggle had done for him, it was definitely a new sight. Oliver opened his fridge, taking out a bottle of water. He headed back up to his room, walking in to see Tommy sitting up, rubbing his face.

"Here," Oliver said, tossing the water bottle his way.

Clumsily, Tommy caught the bottle. He grunted in appreciation, breaking the seal and chugging some back. Oliver went into his bathroom, grinning at the sight in front of him. Hanging on the towel rod was his tuxedo. Everything was becoming so real, and he loved it.

The water was hot against his skin as he washed off yesterday. Soap gathered around his muscles, sliding down his body until it spun down the drain. He scrubbed his hair, thinking to himself that this was the last shower he would take as a man who wasn't married. When he got out, he dressed quickly. Downstairs, the guys were dressed as well, talking loudly to each other. They spotted Oliver and began clapping.

"There's the groom," Tommy introduced, slapping him on the back.

"Well, you guys look nice," Oliver observed, smiling smugly. "That's a first."

"Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor," Floyd remarked, fixing the cuffs to his suit. "But just for the record, I always look nice."

"How does it feel knowing that in just a few hours, you'll be a married man?" Tommy asked.

"It feels pretty damn good, Tommy," Oliver answered, pulling out his phone to check the time. "We should probably start heading out. The minister has a few questions for me and I want to make sure everything is in order."

"OK, we'll all go in separate cars," Tommy decided. "Except for you, Roy. You can come with me."

"Thank you," Roy murmured, moving to stand beside Tommy.

Oliver smacked his hands together, glancing around the group. "Let's get going."

* * *

Everything was as it should be. The food was prepared, the staff was all present, the guests were early, and the overall set up looked amazing. Oliver almost couldn't believe they had pulled this off.

Now, he sat with his elbows on his knees, glancing at the clock on the wall every few seconds. His foot tapped against the rug, as he anxiously sighed. Tommy was the only other person in the room with him, and he paced around, rubbing his jaw.

"Look, Oliver, you're making _me_ nervous," Tommy said, stopping right in front of him. "They're just doing some finishing touches."

"Sorry," Oliver muttered, standing up. "I'm just really nervous all of a sudden. And it's not a bad nervous. It's a good nervous. It's the kind of nervous I was when I asked Felicity to marry me."

"Regardless, you have nothing to be nervous about, man," Tommy assured.

And as if to back him up, Diggle opened the door and said the words Oliver had been waiting to hear ever since he went into that room.

"Oliver, they're ready for you out there."

He wasn't sure his feet had ever moved as quickly. It seemed like only a second passed from the moment he was sitting in that chair to the moment he was standing at the head of the main room. Tommy stood loyally by his side, rings held firmly in his hands. Everyone was in their correct seat, whispering until the moment to be quiet came.

And that moment came fast.

The familiar chords began to play out, filling the room and silencing the crowd. Oliver's body was stiff, throat tightening as his eyes bore holes into the door at the end of the aisle. The crowd rose to meet Felicity as she emerged from the door, bouquet clutched tightly in hand.

The breath was knocked right out of him. Oliver swore his heart stopped. He knew his mouth was hanging open. but how could it not be? She smiled at him as her feet guided her down the aisle. Each step she took was another clench around heart. Anything in that room that wasn't her disappeared. She was all he could see, and it didn't surprise him one bit.

Her hands reached his after she handed the bouquet over to Sara. The minister spoke and Oliver repeated when necessary. It all felt like a dream to him. His eyes never left Felicity's, and he could tell she noticed by the blush that remained permanent on her face. Then Tommy was handing over the rings and his breath caught as he slid the ring onto her finger at the same time as she did his. Directly after, he was instructed to kiss her, though he would have done it anyway.

People cheered and clapped as the world stood still. Despite the several kisses they've shared, this one would always be the one he thought back on. It was the one that sealed their future together. It was the one that made his hands shake and his brain muddle. It was the one that meant the beginning of everything with her.

Afterwards, everyone was ushered outside where the reception would be taking place. There were tables littering the perfectly green lawn. A single microphone was placed in front of the side of a stretched table meant for the people who participated in the actual wedding. That was where all of the kind words and speeches would be directed.

Oliver and Felicity took their seats at the table, joined by Tommy, Diggle, Sara, and Thea. Oliver couldn't remove the smile from his face as he watched Felicity chat with Sara. Their fingers were intertwined on the table for everyone to see. Tommy leaned over to Oliver, speaking lowly.

"Should I give my speech now?" he asked.

"Yeah, just don't screw it up," Oliver joked, earning a teasing smack on his shoulder from Felicity.

Tommy rose from his chair, stepping around the table and up to the microphone. He picked up a glass of champagne from the table, tapping a piece of silverware against it a few times. The amount of time it took for the people to fall silent was minimal. Tommy smiled gratefully, adjusting the microphone to his height.

"So, many of you may know me as Oliver's best friend, son of Malcolm Merlyn, or something else," he said, clearing his throat as Oliver shook his head. "But today, all you need to know about me is that I'm Oliver Queen's best man. I'm not that great with words, so I've decided to tell a story instead. It's a very true story; just keep that in mind."

"Oh, great," Oliver muttered, causing a few cackles from the people nearest to him.

"This story happened about eight years ago. Oliver had been working at Queen Consolidated for a few weeks. He was still learning the ropes, and he kept begging me to come over and help him get sorted. Since I had had previous experience working at my father's company, I agreed to help him out. We were in his office when I told him to pick a random department to start at. He did, and it just so happened to be the IT Department."

Tommy paused, glancing behind him at Oliver and Felicity. Oliver gave him a nod, encouraging him to continue.

"Anyway, we head down to the IT Department to talk to one of the employees about some technical issues the company had been having with the website. The receptionist had told us our best chance of fixing the problem quickly was with a Miss Felicity Smoak." The crowd awed, realizing what this story was going to be about. "Oliver followed the instructions to Felicity's desk that the receptionist had given us, finding her near the back of the floor. I let them do their talking, scoffing at Oliver's obvious flirting."

Oliver let out a noise of protest, being stopped by Felicity's hand on his shoulder. "You were flirting with me that day," she confirmed, drawing some laughs.

"Well, they finished up their meeting with Felicity fixing the problem in no time at all, of course. When we were back in the elevator, Oliver turned to me and said, 'She's hot.'" People laughed, clapping lightly. Oliver's face flushed as Felicity leaned into his shoulder. "I, of course, reminded him that it wasn't smart to have a relationship with any of his employees. That convinced him to back off, until he realized that he had taken her pen on accident. So, me being the amazing friend that I am, offered to go return it to her."

"There was no accident. I took that pen specifically so that I could go back down there and return it to her," Oliver revealed.

"Well, I went down there, finding her in the same spot. She didn't remember seeing me when I was there earlier until I reminded her who I was with. I gave her back the pen, explaining that that was my reason for returning. I remember her giving me a weird look right after I asked her out for drinks later."

Everyone laughed at that, Felicity being the loudest. Oliver just shook his head again, grinning nonetheless.

"He still won't let it go that she rejected him," he announced, stretching forward to be heard better.

"The point is, that Oliver went down there that day and thought Felicity was hot. I was standing next to him the whole time they talked, but she only remembered seeing his face. It really didn't surprise me to hear that they were becoming fast friends, just like it doesn't surprise me to be standing here on their wedding day, giving Oliver's best man speech. So, here's to Oliver and Felicity."

"To Oliver and Felicity," the crowd repeated, raising their glasses.

Oliver smiled in approval to his friend, Felicity wiping her tears away. Tommy took his seat back at the table, smirking smugly.

"Bet you can't beat that, Sara," he challenged, making Sara widen her eyes in surprise.

In the end, Sara's speech was just as good. She used a lot of quotes about love and how they went with Oliver and Felicity's relationship. She managed to avoid any inappropriateness, which was greatly appreciated by the bride and groom. Felicity cried while Oliver kissed the top of her head. Tommy raised his glass in approval, recognizing Sara's speech as a good one. And just because there was still some time left to kill before the dancing started, they allowed anyone to step up to the microphone and say some words.

When that time finally came around for everyone to make room for the dances, everyone was buzzing with happiness. Oliver and Felicity got the first one, him offering his hand to her before she stood up. She took it, allowing him to guide her over to the center of the crowd. They had hired a DJ, and the moment he set the intended record on, Felicity's heart melted.

"Desert Rose," she acknowledged, eyes filling with tears.

"This song was playing the moment I fell in love with you. It's only right that it's playing the moment we begin our lives together," he told her, bringing her hand to his lips before resting it back on her hip.

"I am so in love with you," she promised, cupping his face and pulling him down for a kiss.

People began to join them on the dance floor, swaying to the sweet lyrics. It's funny how one song could mean everything to someone, while being no more than background noise to someone else.

* * *

"Bye, everyone," Felicity yelled, waving her hand from the steps to the plane.

Oliver had borrowed one of his personal planes to take on their honeymoon. It was parked not to far from where their ceremony had taken place. Since Diggle had experience flying that sort of machinery, Oliver had hired him to take them to their destination. Him and Felicity found their seats, the door shutting behind them.

The people began to shrink in size as they took off. Oliver dug through the ice chest that was on the plane, pulling out a bottle of champagne. He took two glasses out as well, handing one over to Felicity. The cork came off with a pop as he poured the chilled liquid into their glasses. Once the bottle was set down, they clinked their glasses together.

She finished hers first, placing the empty glassware into her cup holder. He hadn't given her much because he knew they would drink more once they were at the hotel. Still, her hands reached for his shortly afterwards, bringing the fizzy substance to her mouth. When she returned it to him, her pink lipstick was around the rim. He grinned, reveling in the joy that small action still brought to him.

About an hour later, Felicity glanced out the window with furrowed brows. She turned to look at Oliver, eyes alternating back and forth between him and the window.

"Uh, where are we going?" she asked, making him chuckle.

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the way to Fiji," she pointed out, earning a nod.

"That's because we're not going to Fiji," he told her, trying to fight back a grin, but failing miserably.

She looked more confused than he had ever seen her. It was all very amusing for him.

"Oliver, where are we going?"

His eyes glinted as he watched her reaction. "We're going to Paris."

Her jaw dropped, eyes widening is shock. He allowed himself to laugh, that being the reaction he expected from her.

"You're kidding," she accused, not processing that what he was saying was actually true.

"I promised I would take you one day," he reminded her.

"But you said Paris wasn't great when you were there."

"That was because you weren't there with me," he said, truly clueless that every time he spoke, she fell in love with him a little more.

She kissed him then, running her hand over his jaw. His grin was still there as he kissed her back. She pulled away after a few seconds, face still near his.

"Oh, you are so getting laid tonight, Mr. Queen," she whispered, pecking his lips once more before retreating back to her side of the seat.

* * *

When they arrived in France, Felicity was jumpy and excited. Her face was practically plastered to the window of the limo, taking in every detail. Oliver smiled at her, loving that it was him who had fulfilled this dream of hers. When they reached their hotel, she was the first to hop out. Oliver just watched her, getting a surge of love at seeing her prance around in her wedding dress.

A man came to the car to put their things upstairs, leaving after a generous tip from Oliver. Oliver caught up to Felicity, spinning her in his arms as he guided her up the steps. People stared at them, commenting on their cuteness in their language. They didn't need directions to their suite - Oliver had gotten the largest one. He insisted on carrying her into the room bridal style, and she was just too happy with him to even put up a fight.

So he swooped her into his arms, holding her as if she were weightless. Then he was unlocking the door, stepping into the room and letting it slam shut behind him. Their luggage was already by the door, arranged in an organized line. He set her down, going over to the large window that was taking up the wall across from the door.

"This view is gorgeous," he murmured, letting out a low whistle.

She came up from behind him, tucking her chin into his arm. "It really is."

They stood there for a few minutes, just admiring the sight. The last time he was here, he hadn't appreciated the beauty. Now that he was here with Felicity, it was all he could see. He shook his head because that just proved, once again, how perfect she was for him.

"Thank you for doing this for me," she said, intertwining their fingers together.

He shook his head as he gazed down at her, not knowing how to express the love he felt for her in this moment. Dipping his head forward, he caught her lips with his. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek, kissing him easier since her heels gave her a little extra height. When he pulled away, he smiled at her.

"How about some champagne?" he asked, her nodding in agreement.

There was a bottle lying in a bucket of ice on top of the table in the room. Oliver went over to it, examining the label. It was just the thing he knew Felicity would love. Her tastes for champagne was just one of the many things he had learned about her over the years. Plus, it was very similar to his own.

"Can you see if you can find some glasses?" he asked her, looking around the bucket, but not finding any.

"Sure," she smiled, walking away from him.

While Felicity went off in search of the glasses, he tore off the shiny wrapping that was covering the top of the bottle. His nails peeled off the tiny pieces, finally revealing the cork underneath. His eyes searched for a corkscrew, landing on a little bar area that was attached to the wall near the television. Bottle in hand, he approached the bar top. There was a little cabinet that he never would have noticed, had he not gone over there.

Oliver opened it up, finding a corkscrew, and a few glasses. He took out two and the corkscrew, setting it all out on the counter.

"Hey, Felicity," he called, struggling to tighten the screw into the cork, "I found the glasses."

He didn't hear a response back, but considering that the room wasn't that huge, he knew she had heard him. His main focus was on getting that cork out, and his face turned red as he twisted the handle.

"Oliver," a voice said, drawing his attention towards the direction of it.

The bottle nearly slipped from his hands, the sight in front of him overwhelming. No more then five feet away stood Felicity, dressed in the sexiest lingerie he had ever seen in his entire life. His mouth went dry as he put the bottle back on the counter.

"Felicity-" he started, clearing his throat because his words seemed to be getting caught on something.

She just grinned, wickedly, devilishly, and in a way that had his slacks tightening. His eyes scanned over her body, taking her all in. Starting from her feet down, he savored the sight. She had on high, black heels, ones he had recognized from work. Then came the stockings that traveled up her legs, clinging to each and every curve of them. Two bows signified the ends of the stockings, exposing only a short strip of skin before a new type of clothing hid it.

A green skirt is what started after that. It was frilly and so short, he was sure that if she even lifted a foot, everything would be revealed to his hungry eyes. There was another strip of skin exposed, it being her stomach, and then the final piece. It was a green laced bra, with a small bow connecting the two cups together in the center. The tops of her breasts heaved out of the cups, and he knew she had done this on purpose.

Her hair was the finishing touch to all this. It was released from its hold that it held for their ceremony. It tumbled down her shoulders in waves, reminding him of streaks of sunshine.

"Do you like your wedding present?" she asked, voice sultry with desire.

His brain fought for words, but there seemed to be no words left. He was lucky he could still understand her. Very slowly, he took a step towards her. Her grin only widened, and he wished she would meet him the rest of the way because he didn't trust himself to walk. As if she had read his mind, those heels raised from the ground, closing the space between them.

She stopped before they could touch, and his eyes narrowed as he wondered what her plan was here. Only about a foot separated them, but it was one foot too many.

"Come here," he ordered, surprising both himself and her with the solidness in his tone.

She only nodded, reminding him that she wanted this just as badly as he did. It had been a month, after all. He was thankful he didn't come just from looking at her. That strength he had mustered up and transferred into his tone gave him a little of his edge back. He accepted it gratefully. He would take what he could get.

"I'm guessing you like it?" she told him, moving forward so that her breasts were pressing into the straightness of his suit jacket.

"That would be an understatement," he responded, not even recognizing his own voice.

It was a mixture of deep, dark, heavy, and desperate. How accurate.

"I told you I look damn good in lingerie," she reminded him, smiling as he raised an eyebrow in remembrance.

His hands landed low on her waist, fingers curling around the emerald mesh of the skirt. "Don't tell me anyone else has seen you in this."

"No, I bought this just for you, Mr. Queen," she whispered, watching as that last bit of control he was hanging onto blew away.

His lips attacked hers, hands sliding up her body to bury themselves in her hair. His tongue forced its way between her lips, needing to taste her in a way that would have been inappropriate at the wedding. Her moans were swallowed by his mouth as it claimed hers over and over again. Pulling away, he saw that her lipstick was smeared, and knew it was all over his face by the grin that spread across hers.

"How long have you had this?" he questioned, fingering the straps of the bra.

Her breathing was ragged from his thorough kissing. "I just bought it yesterday. Sara helped me pick it out before my bachelorette party."

He took a moment to look it all over again, shaking his head in veneration. "And you had to buy it in green?"

"Well, it is your favorite color."

His eyes shot back up to hers, heart warmed - despite all the lust - that she had remembered that about him. Her head came forward, lips landing on his neck. His breathing stopped as she kissed him there, right underneath his jawline. The kisses were light, yet deliberate. Her fingers pressed against his shirt, tugging his tie loose.

He held onto her waist, worried he would have sunken to the ground had he not been doing so. After pulling the tie over his head, she began undoing the tiny buttons on his shirt. His eyes closed as he strained to maintain himself. Her lips were searing marks into his skin, soft and sweet on the trail of his stubble. He took a hold of her wrists, giving her a warning look before shrugging out of his jacket and finishing undoing the buttons of his shirt.

As he pulled it off, he took note of the admiration in her eyes. There was the hint of a smirk on his face, as he once again found a source of control. Inching towards her, he caught her lips in his own. He could feel her fingers bend themselves into the waistline of his slacks, restricted by the thin leather belt that accompanied it. There was a struggle for her as she tried to undo his pants and fight off his demanding tongue.

"Felicity," he growled, locking eyes with her once she got his zipper down.

She bit her lip, nodding in understanding. There was a chair in the corner of the room, and her eyes glinted when she saw it. His head raised, already reading her mind. Her fingers jabbed seductively into his chest as she pushed him backwards into the direction of the chair. Every time, he tried to catch her hand before it could reach his chest.

He never did.

"You doing OK there, Mr. Queen?" she asked, playfully grinning at his pained expression.

There was a clench of his jaw before he said, "I want to rip you out of that."

Her jaw hung just enough for him to notice. Her recovery time was clearly much better than this. There was one more forceful shove before his legs were hitting the edge of that chair, and he was sinking into the leather. Carefully, she lowered herself onto his lap, straddling him while his hands steadied her by her hips. She held onto his shoulders, rubbing against him a couple times in the process.

He lowered his head, kissing the tops of her breasts. She could feel his teeth every so often, trying to contain her urge to whine in pleasure. He grabbed her bra, pushing her breasts upwards to make things easier for him. They were practically spilling out from the ridiculously tight confines of the lace. Oliver was seconds away from tearing it off.

However, her eye caught his, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. Reaching behind her, she unclasped the bra, allowing it to fall into his lap. He appeared grateful, but it was clear he wanted more. His fingers pinched the material of her stockings, a low rumble eliciting from his chest when she began grinding into him. His fingers slid under the netting, tugging on it until it began to roll down her leg. Her breathing was erratic from the friction of her own doing when her hand reached down to stop him.

"Someone's a little eager," she teased, dropping the grin when she saw the darkness in his eyes.

He held her in place, making sure she couldn't rub against him if she planned on distracting him that way. "You want this just as badly as I do."

"I spent a lot of money on this," she informed him, trying to justify them putting off sex for a second longer.

His thumbs pressed into her hips, making sure he had her full attention. "Felicity, I plan on you wearing this several more times. Trust me, it will be worth it."

If there were any words to say that would convince her to undress, those were it. She stood up from his lap, smirking at the obvious arousal in his pants. He just leaned back, eyes glued to her body. She wasn't sure anything would be able to make him look away.

She took off her heels first, lifting her feet onto the bed one at a time, and setting her heels next to the dresser. Then, she was rolling down her stockings, feeling the desire emanating from Oliver as a new inch of skin became exposed. The only thing left on her was the skirt that was so short, it could qualify as a blindfold. Oliver was on his feet, stopping her before she could take that off.

"I'll take care of that," he told her, drawing her back to the past.

He had told her that before on more than one occasion. What was with him and wanting to be the one to remove her skirts? She never got around to asking him. At the moment, she didn't quite care what the answer was. All she cared about was the way he was backing her onto the bed until she was sitting on the edge, directly in front of his popped open slacks.

He looked down at her, not needing to ask what he wanted from her. She reached forward, dipping her fingers into the waistline of the slacks as she brought them down to his knees. Desperation ate away at her, causing her to yank his boxers down as well. She wrapped her fingers around him instantly, not needing to look up to know his head was tilted back.

She had done this so many times, she knew each and every response to expect from him.

He caught her by surprise when he stopped her.

"Tonight's not about that," he huffed, towering over her as he leaned down to kiss her lips.

Her body fell back against the sheets, causing him to step out of the remainder of his clothing to meet her once again. There was a moment of hesitation where all he could do was marvel at the sight in front of him. He shook his head.

How did he get so lucky?

Snapping out of his daze, he got onto the bed, hovering over her. She grinned, reaching up to cup his face. Their lips fused together, distracting her from what he was about to do. With his right hand, he began to guide himself over to her entrance. His tongue shot into her mouth, assuring him that she would be somewhat surprised.

Right when he knew he was in the perfect spot, he swung straight into her. She bit his lip in surprise before a long moan escaped through her body. She clutched onto him, trying to stabilize herself after that immediate shot of pleasure. He was in the same condition, if not worse. It had been way too long. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to have her surrounding this part of him.

It felt like home.

"I missed this," he whispered, kissing her neck as he held his position in between her spread legs.

"Yeah," she breathed, kissing him since she couldn't find the words to show him she felt the same.

He shifted, making her breath hitch. When he gave his first real thrust, he wasn't sure she was going to make it. She whimpered his name, running her hands over his hair. His self control slipped away from his grasp as she said his name in the way he loved so much. He looked down at her swallowing thickly. Then, he pulled out completely before swinging forward in another thrust.

Her nails dug into his back, and he could literally feel her unraveling underneath him. His hips lurched forward again, causing him to sink into a steady rhythm. She was so loud, and nothing made him happier than hearing his name being yelled from her perfect lips.

When she came, she came fast and hard. He followed behind her, gritting out her name as he did so. He collapsed next to her, catching his breath before covering their sweaty bodies up with a blanket. Her head came to rest on his chest, rising and falling in sync with his breathing.

"God, my wife is hot," he breathed, making her laugh.

"Stop it."

"Felicity, it's true," he promised, reminded of the several times she had asked him not to call her hot. "If you don't believe me, I can prove it to you."

He shifted onto his side, pulling her flush against him. Their lips met softly, separating after a few moments.

"I think you already proved it to me," she murmured, biting her bottom lip as she thought of it.

He groaned at the sight, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. I can be ready to prove it to you any time, any place. Here and now, for example."

She laughed, turning away so that her back was on the mattress again. Her head rested on his chest as he dragged his fingers through her hair. The moment was perfect, no words needed to feel how much the other cared. Felicity traced nonsense patterns into his chest, her breathing back to a soft rhythm.

"Our relationship wasn't easy, but we made it."

"We did," he confirmed. "I always knew we would."

"Yeah?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand as she looked up at him.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Felicity, you were perfect. You _are_ perfect. And any problems we had along the way, were because of my own stupidity." He paused, stroking a finger down her face. "I didn't do too bad though, did I?"

She reached up to peck his lips, smiling at him. "No. You did good, Queen."

"You always tell me that," he said, trying not to express the rush of emotions he felt every time she did.

"Well, you always do a good job," she laughed, touched that he noticed.

He kissed her again, pulling away to chuckle. "You do realize that technically, I can tell you that, too. You know, considering you are a Queen now."

The realization warmed something inside of her that she couldn't explain. All she knew was that this moment was everything and one she would never forget. And judging from the content sigh he let out, he felt the same.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this doesn't seem important now, but this will be referenced again later on in the story. This was also a little preview of what the Oliver and Felicity friendship will look like in this story. This does take place two years before the actual story does, so their friendship will have grown much more since this. The summary for this story does not really match with this prologue, and that was done on purpose. Review please! :)


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